Gin & Juice
by littlemissbreanne
Summary: Kylo Ren works tiredlessly to find his bondmate, Rey, while she attempts to rebuild The Resistance. She must resist his seductive advances, and oppose the lure of the dark side all while trying to turn Kylo Ren back into Ben Solo and save his humanity. (Takes place after TLJ, rated M for later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

I love Star Wars. I love everything about Star Wars. I could tell you lines from every movie on the spot, what scene they are in, what the situation is, and why it's happening. I can tell you the Jedi and Sith backstory all the way to the rule of two. I could tell you the deep emotional aspect as to why Anakin turned to the dark side to when he was redeemed by his son. But, recently, what I love most of all is Kylo Ren and Rey. I wasn't sure of Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens because I thought of him as an angsty teenage boy who had nothing better to do than walk around and slay people. But, then… The Last Jedi came out and I was blown away by Adam's performance, not only his shirtless scene, hear me ladies? But, to the raw sexual aspect of Rey and Kylo's relationship. Over the past few days, I have been reading many Fanfic's regarding just that. I have laughed, cried, and felt emotionally drawn to almost every single one I have read. That's why I decided to write my own. (There will be a dictionary at the bottom of the chapter detailing certain words or phrases if you have questions about them) And as always, please feel free to comment, message me, and leave nice reviews.

This takes place after The Last Jedi. Preface: The last Kylo Ren saw of Rey was when she closed the doors to the Falcon and left him lonely and stricken again. Rey is headed back with the Resistance to rendezvous with their Supporters on Sullust, while Kylo is dead set on finding her, much to the dismay of General Hux.

 _ **Location: The Supremacy**_

 _Rey…_ Kylo sat in his meditation chambers atop a black cushioned seat, legs crossed, hands in his lap, his brown eyes closed tightly in concentration as he meditated. He reached out through the Force, leaving his room, the corridor outside, and eventually The Supremacy, until he was searching through open space. He began to search through the stars, pushing each aside as he whispered her name, knowing that his effort to find her was ruthless. Ruthless like he was. Like she was. Like their bond was. _Was._ That was such a grotesque statement to describe what they had.

They were unstoppable. They were to rule the galaxy together – to bring peace, prosperity, and freedom under their reign. He had foreseen it: Rey sitting next to him, her hair long and wavy, dressed in a beautiful black dress, with an orange glint in her eyes. They were destined to be together – both had seen this through their meditation. But, why did the Force rip her away from him so belligerently? The rawness of that pain shot through Kylo like lightning as he carefully looked from planet to planet. There were hundreds of planets to look through, but Kylo was determined to find her. And find her, he would.

 _Where are you?_ He prayed she would lower her defenses enough for him to prod through and find her. Her Force signature had all but disappeared. Kylo felt his heart squeeze in disappointment as he looked past another planet with nothing to give. His sadness had long ago turned to anger. With anger, he commanded The First Order. He had sent a battalion of troops to every known civilized planet in their sector looking for her. Hux had all but been amused, claiming they shouldn't waste valuable resources on finding the girl. Though, Kylo had insisted that it wasn't just to find Rey, but to find the Resistance as well. He hid his true intentions because he couldn't look weak in front of his command. He had just become Supreme Leader, and he would rule like his grandfather – mercilessly.

Brown eyes opened to see Vader's mask in front of him. The burnt relic he had recovered so many years ago on Endor stared back at him coolly. What would Vader have done? He knew the answer all too well – he would use his resources and search to the ends of the galaxy to snub out the Resistance and find the girl. The only difference was: Vader answered to the Emperor where as Kylo was the Emperor. He would use every possible solider available and search every planet, every moon, every system, every continent, every city, every village, every settlement… until he eventually found her. Call it an obsession. It certainly was one.

A knock came at his chamber door. Kylo looked up, annoyed, and opened the door with a flick of his black gloved finger. His fingers spread open and he grabbed onto the life force outside through the Force, wrapping his fingers tightly around their neck and pulling them into his room. He heard squirming and could see white armor clawing at their neck in a vague effort to breathe, but he kept his deep eyes focused on the mask in front of him.

"Speak." He commanded and dropped the Stormtrooper on the floor.

"General Hux needs you on the bridge, my lord," came the wheezy voice from the man on the ground below him.

"Inform General Hux that I will not be joining him on the bridge and not to disturb me."

"Lord, he was very insistent…"

Kylo clasped his fist together in a tight ball, lifting the Stormtrooper up into the air and throwing him out the door he drug him in from. He heard the metal armor collide with the wall outside, but closed the door with a flick of his finger and spun around to page the Bridge of the Supremacy through the monitor on the far wall. He stood, hands behind his back, waiting for Hux to answer his call. What was this about? He had given Hux strict orders not to interrupt him, which was basically giving him permission to lead The First Order. As much as Kylo hated to admit it, he did need Hux… he was a damn good General.

Hux's pale face appeared on the monitor and he dismissed Lieutenant Siders with orders to give a priority signal to The Absolution. His preppy lips pursed as he saw addressed Kylo, but there was a gleam in his blue eyes that Kylo hadn't seen since they were launching the attack on Crait.

"Supreme Leader, we have received a tip from one of our spies in the Malastare system that was confident he saw The Millennium Falcon."

"Perhaps a little overconfident," Kylo mused, although he felt his heart had jumped up to his stomach. "Malastare is a long way from Crait, Hux."

"The ship jumped into lightspeed, sir. They were damn close to half-way across the galaxy –"

"I know," Kylo raised a hand and Hux gulped, knowing what was going to happen next if he wasn't careful. Kylo had been looking in all the wrong places… he had checked systems close to Crait, but didn't bother to even look in the Outer Rim. "We should make haste to get there."

"I have sent Lieutenant Siders to send a priority signal to The Absolution. They are much closer than we are in the Bomis Korri system," Hux replied slowly, watching his leader intently.

"If it is The Millennium Falcon, then I have to be there to intercept," Kylo said through gritted teeth. He could feel anticipation gurgling in his stomach. "Alert The Absolution to prepare for our arrival."

Hux looked paler than usual. "Yes, Supreme Leader."

Kylo cut the transmission and began to pace with his hands behind his back. If this spy had truly found the Falcon, then he was one step closer into finding Rey. He stopped outside his the door to his meditation chamber and turned back to look at Vader's mask. What would he do when he found her? Hopefully he could talk her out of fighting, though it wasn't likely… He would not kill her. Not unless she tried to kill him first. Absentmindedly, he raised his gloved fingers to brush along the scar she left what seemed to be so long ago…

 _Rey, I am coming for you. I will find you. You can't hide from me._

He pushed his message through the Force towards her with all of his strength, now fueled by anticipation and anger, hoping that she would hear him. She needed to know that he was still on the prowl, even though he hadn't guessed for one second that she didn't know he was looking for her. She was out there, and he would find her. It would take an army to bring her down… a one man army named Kylo Ren.

 _ **Location: The Millennium Falcon**_

If there was one thing that Rey couldn't get over, is was that space was so cold. Even with the heating systems in The Falcon, she could not stay warm to save her life. Chewie had noticed her shivering many times, and had held her comfortingly to warm her. Rey came from Jakku, which was much like a desert in the middle of nowhere. It never rained, never snowed, and most definitely, was not cold. Her recent adventures had taken her to see things she never would have dreamed: water, lakes, ponds, streams, forests, life, and even death. It was a lot for her young mind to handle.

Although she wasn't naïve, she knew that her mind was fogged and she needed to clear it. Master Skywalker had told her many times that her mind was too busy, always focusing on where she would rather be and what she would rather be doing. She remembered he told her it reminded her of him when he was her age: always looking into the horizon. Luke was like her in so many ways… she looked at him like a father-figure, much like she looked at Han, before that creature struck them both down.

That creature behind the mask took nearly everything from her. He took Han, Luke, her compassion, and almost her very existence twice. What had she ever done to get herself stuck in this mess? Although, through everything that Kylo Ren had put her through, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. She knew that if she thought about it hard enough she would, and if she opened up her Force bond with him, he would reach out to her and make her feel sympathy towards him once more. She was content where she was, shutting him out, and not thinking about him or the situation at all.

Although, was she content? She felt him pushing at her mental barriers multiple times, but she had built a wall so heavy, so fortified, with disgust and anger that he was unable to break through. Luke always told her not to give into anger – but it was the only thing keeping Kylo out. Her thoughts somehow always focused back to him… The look of pure sadness in his eyes when she closed the door to The Falcon on him. Should she have waited? Should she have run to him, begged him to come with her again? Or should she have run to him and ended this mess once and for all?

Rey was conflicted, as she always was. She sat in her quarters in The Falcon, and tried to meditate. All she saw were clouds; grey stormy clouds. They encompassed her; they always did. Her mind had been blocked since she blocked out Kylo. She needed to trust in the Force, but there was no way she could even make contact with it until she took down her mental barriers. Was it worth it? Maybe if she just weakened them a bit, the storm in her head would clear… Her head hurt so badly, it was worth it to just give it a try…

So, she did. She eased up her barriers for just a moment and felt the storm drift off into nothingness, the grey clouds receding. A slight buzzing began to fill her ears, and she turned to see where it was coming from. She began to search for the sound of the buzzing, her eyes darting frantically all over her room until it became so unbearable, she felt like her head was about to explode.

Then it abruptly stopped. Along with her heart.

Sitting in a chair in front of her, was Kylo Ren. He was leaning his cheek on his first, his arm stretched on the arm of the chair, and his body in a slouched position. It seemed he did not notice her, and she was glad because her breath caught and she could not breathe. It appeared as though he was staring off insentiently at something else. It was a relief but not a good enough one. Why was he here? She had opened her mind for just a moment and a moment was all it took to connect them again. Why was the Force doing this? She sat in silent fear, unable to move, unable to think, just to watch and know that it was only a matter of time before he realized she was there.

She only moved a fraction of an inch, a blink, when his brown eyes finally turned to her and a blank expression fell across his handsome face.

 _ **Location: The Supremacy**_

Kylo didn't blink. If he did, she would be gone. She was right there, in front of him at the long table that he and the elder officers were ranting at, discussing battle plans and ways to destroy the Resistance once and for all. He hated these meetings, so he had taken to poking at her barrier bit by bit just for the fun of it, to distract him from military conversation. And it had worked! Somehow, he had finally broken through her barrier.

He sat up squarely, wanting to tell her to not go anywhere; he was going to leave and go to his quarters. She looked scared, intensely frightened. Without a second's hesitation, Kylo looked her dead in her eyes: brown on hazel and mustered up the relief he was feeling down in his abdomen to see her. He knew that she felt it was over her. She appeared to relax some, but still didn't take the look of disgust out of her eyes.

 _You finally decided to show yourself._ Kylo said, his eyes softening.

Rey's lips turned upwards into a growl. _Get out of my head, Ben._

Kylo's face turned hard, creases appearing around his eyes. How dare she call him Ben! Ben Solo was dead, long gone, after she had turned against him and left him, slammed the door of that damn piece of garbage ship in his face. He had disappeared with his father's dice, along with her. Now all that was left was the remnant of him named Kylo Ren, full of anger and retribution towards her. If he hadn't remembered that just now, he might have reached out his hand to touch her, no matter the consequence.

With a murderous grumble, Kylo raised himself from his chair and stormed out of the meeting, knowing thirty eyes were on him, confused. He knew she could still see him, so he let her. He sent her wave over wave of anger, fury, hatred, resentment, and his passion to make her suffer until he barged into his living quarters, closed the door with a flick of his fingers, and turned to face her.

"How dare you call me that, you scavenger scum!"He hoped that she would take the hint and back down her emotional assault, but little Rey did the exact opposite.

She stood up, fire in her fierce eyes, ready for the challenge. "No! I will not bow to you!"

Kylo sighed in frustration. "I don't want you to bow to me, Rey. I want you to join me."

In an unsure gesture, Kylo stretched his black gloved hand towards the girl, for a chance of offering her to join him and his regime once more. Or maybe it was to feel her warmth, her light, once more. Ever since she left, a part of him had been missing. He sincerely hoped she would take his hand so he could feel complete again.

Rey eyed Kylo's outstretched hand, her conflicted emotions turning into longing. She didn't want to feel alone any longer, and she knew that if she took that outstretched hand, she would no longer be abandoned. His offer was so tempting, just to ease her hurting head, her exhausting ritual of building up her barriers, and to feel loved by someone. Rey closed her eyes and replayed his words in her head " _You're not alone."_ She felt her hand involuntarily raising, and her emotions falling to the pit of her stomach.

And then there was a loud banging on the door to her quarters. Kylo heard it and saw Rey's eyes snap open. They locked eyes for a moment before the image of her completely disappeared. Kylo felt anger rising in the pit of his stomach. She was gone… again. And she would likely put up her barriers against him once more, and he didn't know when he would see her again. He couldn't help it; his rage consumed him.

Kylo found the nearest wall and without thinking, smashed his hand against it. It hurt something fierce, but he thrived off of it. It only strengthened his resolve in finding her. As he breathed heavily, he reached out to her through their bond, but there all that came back was emptiness. Like his life, like his heart, like his soul. He was empty without her, and he would be until he found her.

Dictionary:

The Supremacy – Kylo Ren's Flagship.

Endor – Small forested moon located in The Outer Rim. Location of The Battle of Endor where The Emperor and Darth Vader were finally defeated.

The Absolution – Resurgent class Star Destroyer. General Hux's father served aboard as Cardinal.

Malastare – Forest planet home to The Dugs, and contained fuel native to the planet that is toxic to Zillow Beasts.

Bomis Koori – Planet responsible for the largest production of battle droids during The Clone Wars.


	2. Chapter 2

_A very important thing about writing is to immerse yourself inside a character or a situation to the point where you are actually feeling their emotions and actions. I hope you guys really enjoy this chapter; we are going to be taking a deeper look into the Bond and what exactly it means for both of them. Thank you for the reviews already! I want to get up to at least 3k views by the weekend (We are at 300 right now)! Please share this with your Star Wars friends and tell them to review! As always, feel free to tell me where you would like the story to go. I thrive off of my fans ideas! If we get to 3k and 10 reviews, I will put a lucky fan's idea in the coming chapter._

 **Location: Eriadu space, .16 parsecs from Sullust**

Rey looked out of the cockpit of the Falcon, seeing that the ship was nearing its course. She slowly sat down next to Chewie, who reached behind her and handed her a fur blanket. She took it almost hungrily, wrapping herself tightly inside the warm fibers until the cold had finally receded from her chest and stomach. They were nearing their destination: a lava mining planet called Sullust. Rey had only ever heard of Sullust from a Sullustan passing through Niima Outpost, and she hadn't been too overly fond of the species. A supporter of the Rebellion and Resistance, Nein Nunb, had offered refuge in the underground cities of Sullust, his home world. According to General Leia Organa, the Sullustans were incredibly welcoming hosts, and sympathizers to their cause. Rey wasn't too keen on the idea, but they were desperate and had nowhere else to turn.

The supplies on the Falcon were running dangerously low. Of course, they hadn't expected to take what was left of the Resistance in a daring rescue from Crait. Luckily for them, iIt wasn't too terribly long from Crait to Sullust, but it was long enough that with as many people on board as they had, people were beginning to go without food, water, and rations. Rey, herself, hadn't eaten in at least two… or was it three days? She couldn't be sure; all of the days were beginning to run together. It was mostly because of her pounding headache that was incessantly poking in the far reaches of her mind. It made her incredibly nauseous as well as making her body ache, feeling like needles were poking her skin over and over until she was swollen and limp.

Her encounter with Kylo Ren had the same effect on her. She had immediately rebuilt her mind barrier the moment Poe had knocked on her door to retrieve her for a briefing. As she followed him up to the living spaces, she cursed herself inwardly repeatedly for almost joining Kylo. What was it about Kylo Ren that made her want to go to him, to run to him so willingly and longingly? He was everything she hated and feared, everything that was wrong with the universe. Yet, simultaneously being everything she loved and trusted, and being everything right in the universe. Her confliction was warranted, but in her mind, it wasn't even close to being justified.

Chewie sensed her tension and put a furry hand on her shoulder in comfort, uttering a low growl of concern. Rey shot him a small smile and assured him that she was fine, just nervous about getting drug to another planet she was unfamiliar with. Poe entered the cockpit a few seconds later and took a seat behind Chewie, so he could speak to Rey. He also sensed her unsure emotions, and was unsure on how to approach her. He put his elbows on his knees, the most sincere expression on his chisled face.

"You have every right to be worried, Rey, Sullustans are one of the ugliest creatures I've ever laid eyes on," he joked, trying to lighten her mood.

Rey cracked a small smile, pulling her blanket more tightly around her small body and brushed a strand of stray hair out of her left eye. "I only met one once, and I was not a fan of him."

"One doesn't speak for their entire race," Poe told her matter-of-factly with a shrug. "Take you for example. You're a scavenger from Jakku, and most scavengers are dead-beats, just trying to survive. But, you… well, you went up against Kylo Ren. _The_ Kylo Ren. That's impressive."

Rey felt a slight blush creeping across her cheeks. She never had received compliments while she was on Jakku, and she still wasn't used to receiving them or processing them, for that matter. "Thank you, I guess?"

Poe's lips curved into a smile, and Chewie looked over his shoulder to send him a small growl of warning. Poe's eyes darted over to the Wookie once before focusing back on Rey, heeding his protective stance over the young girl. "How far are we from Sullust?"

Rey glanced over to the monitor in front of her, reached out, and daintly pressed a teal colored button. "Not far. We should make it by the end of the rotation."

"That's wonderful news. The sooner we get off this rust bucket, the happier I'm going to be," Poe said. He slapped his hands against his knees and stood. "I'll go inform the General."

Rey nodded, and Poe left the cockpit, closing the doors behind him. Chewie looked over to Rey and growled at her in conversation, his pitch going up and down matter-of-factly, and then ending with a sound that could only be taken as a warning. Rey shifted herself comfortably in the seat, laying her head against the side of the chair while staring at the Wookie with a grin on her lips.

"How would you know anything about dangerous flyboys? You were best friends with one," quipped her witty response.

Chewie shrugged and his eyes saddened in memory of Han. He murmured something to Rey, to which she was taken aback so much, she sat up straight in her chair.

"You miss him? Ben?" she asked, her mouth suddenly going dry. She never would have thought that Chewie would miss the man who murdered his best friend, let alone his own father. Chewie grumbled something sadly, whimpering a bit in response. "You're right: you did help raise him. Do you think he can be turned, Chewie? Be honest with me, please. I need to know."

Chewie sighed, his big eyes looking from Rey to the dashboard of the Falcon, and then into the vast space ahead of them. The Falcon was coming out of hyperspace, and a grey planet with red and grey streaks across it came into view. It was dotted with little specks of bright aqua blue. Sullust definitely wasn't much to look at. In fact, the planet looked dull and uninviting. Chewie looked at Rey and began a long rant that entailed how he thought that there was light in him if only Kylo was able to see it in himself, otherwise he would forever be lost. He told Rey that when Kylo was Ben Solo, he was the most fun-loving, intelligent, happy boy… until they sent him to Luke. According to Chewie, that's where Han and Leia went wrong. He told Rey that he loved Leia, but he did not agree with her wanting to send Ben away to harness his power. And he missed Ben, missed them climbing the trees on Chandrila and taking him fishing in their luscious lakes and rivers. Chewie was the one who taught him how to make a fire, how to track, and how to fly. He whimpered a soft sound of sadness.

Rey sighed, imagining the young Ben Solo swinging from tree tops, swimming in lakes, and chasing after Chewie, laughing and smiling. She imagined him in the front seat of the Falcon, with Chewie yelling at him because he came too close to hitting an asteroid. She imagined the two out in the forest making fires, cooking fish, and tracking foxes. It was those thoughts that reignited her hope and passion in saving him. Chewie thought he could be turned, and that was the most important of all. Chewie grumbled that he was going to go tell Leia that Sullust was in view, and to prepare the Resistance for landing. Rey nodded, settling herself back down into her seat and closed her eyes, not realizing how tired she really was. As soon as the Wookie had left the cockpit, Rey allowed the steady rocking of the Falcon to lure her into a deep slumber, dreaming of simpler days when Kylo Ren was the young man, Ben Solo.

 **Location: The Absolution**

Kylo Ren's command shuttle slowly lifted itself upward into the docking bay of The Absolution, securing itself inside the hanger bay. As soon as it had landed, the ramp lowered, and he stormed down it, his shoulders swaying menacingly. Lining the way to the door into the corridors, were hundreds of Stormtroopers along with the highest ranking officers. Admiral Schneider and Lieutenant Murray were waiting for him on the right of the troopers. They both saluted and began to walk with him.

"Supreme Leader, this is an unexpected pleasure," Admiral Schneider said as they fell into step together.

"Save it, Kylo snapped. "I'm here to end this pitiful Resistance once and for all. Where are you in locating them?"

Schneider gestured towards Lieutenant Murray, and she began to inform Kylo of their current situation. "Our spy was a Mandolrian bounty hunter who suddenly can't remember where he saw them last until we give him the right amount of credits."

Kylo's eyebrow rose in curiosity. All bounty hunters – especially those from Mandalore – were scum. He remembered a certain story from his childhood involving Bespin, frozen carbonite, and a Sarlacc pit. He smirked to himself and continued his journey to the end of the hanger.

"Take me to him, Lieutenant," Kylo commanded.

"Right away, sir," She nodded and they proceeded down to the corridor.

The bountry hunter was a young thin man, clad in grey armor, his helmet on the table in front of him. He didn't look like much, and reminded Kylo of that damn Resistance pilot that blew up the Dreadnaught. Kylo walked into the room slowly, reading the man's Force signature to see if he had a weak mind. He was surprised to find this bounty hunter's mind was fairly strong, which meant he would have to resort to violence if he didn't give him what he wanted.

The bounty hunter looked up as Kylo entered the room, but the look in his eyes was certainly not fear. It was more amusement that they had to call in the Supreme Leader to get the information out of him. Obviously, he had put up quite a fight. Kylo titled his head and stood on the other side of the table, arms at his sides, looking the bounty hunter up and down, wondering why in the world The First Order hired him.

"You know what I've come for." His tone was deadly and quiet.

"I'll tell you what I told your Admiral, Ren," the bounty hunter said, and Kylo was surprised at how brave he was being. Normally, people begged him to give him what he wanted, not toy with him. Maybe it was because he was no longer wearing his mask… "You cut me the right deal, and I'll tell you where the ship is."

Kylo let out a sharp laugh. He wasn't in the mood for games. He raised his arm and called out to the Force, pulling the bounty hunter out of his chair and back against the wall behind him. He was yelling to stop now, but Kylo couldn't hear him over the sound of the retribution. Kylo began readying himself to probe the man's mind. The bounty hunter was begging him now, saying he would tell him where The Falcon was and that he was terribly sorry for all the inconvenience. Of course he was; they all were sorry. None of them truly meant it, though, so they all had to pay for their lies.

Kylo raised his other hand, keeping the bounty hunter pinned against the black wall, and squinted his eyes as he forced the Force to infiltrate into his brain. Kylo began to see images in his head while the man screamed in agony. He swam past memories of Mandalorian cities, rough cantinas, exchanging money for information, being recruited by The First Order, and eventually… there it was. He found it. The glimpse of the ship he was looking for. It certainly was The Falcon, and it certainly was exactly where he said it would be. Kylo's mind settled for a moment, knowing now that it wasn't a wild goose chase. As he watched the memory play back, something caught his attention. The bounty hunter was having a conversation with a Rodian, who was telling him something about… Sullust. The Falcon was heading to Sullust – they had intercepted a communication between the Falcon and the mining factories on the planet, and they were due to be there by the end of this rotation.

That's where the Resistance was headed. That's where Rey was headed.

Kylo pulled out of the bounty hunter's memories sharply, and curled his fingers, allowing the man to drop down to the floor in a heap of pained nerves. "It appears you knew more than what you let on, bounty hunter."

The man wheezed and raised an arm in surrender as Kylo approached him. Unfortunately, he had to pay. They all had to pay one way or another. This man's crime was withholding the vital information that led him to finding Rey. Kylo drew his lightsaber from the holster on his belt, using the Force to grab it, ignited it, twirled it in his hand, and with one swift stroke, beheaded the bounty hunter. He sheathed his saber, and used the Force to open the door to the interrogation room to find Admiral Schneider and General Hux awaiting his return.

"Got it out of him, did you?" Hux sneered as he glanced into the room to see smoke sizzling from the neck of the beheaded bounty hunter. A stench like burnt steak filled the air, and he caught his breath to keep himself from choking.

"They're going to Sullust," came Kylo's gruff reply, and he began to walk the opposite direction.

Admiral Schneider motioned for two Stormtroopers to dispose of the body, and quickly caught up with Kylo and General Hux's pace. Kylo turned the corner harshly.

"Are we the closest to Sullust?" he asked Hux.

"Yes, Supreme Leader," came Hux's reply. He did not look happy about going to Sullust. "I will ready the ground forces, and call on our special teams –"

"No," Kylo replied, cutting Hux off. He turned and faced the General, who stopped, and sighed at Kylo's intensity. "I have to go alone."

"Stop being dramatic, Ren," Hux said forcefully. "Everytime you say that, we always end up providing support for you anyway."

Kylo raised his eyebrows at Hux, and wanted nothing more than to ignite his lightsaber and slice him down this very second. It implied he was weak; that he couldn't take on the entire Resistance on his own on a planet of Resistance supporters. Maybe even that was too much for him, but the real reason he didn't want anyone going with him was because his main mission was to retrieve Rey and bring her back to The Absolution. But, judging by Hux's eyes, Kylo already knew that Hux knew.

"I know you want to get the girl, how romantic of you," Hux said gesturing his hands. He always liked to talk with his hands – behind his back, waving them around, and sometimes even clapping them like a mentally challenged bantha. It was one of his many traits that Kylo couldn't stand. He gritted his teeth as Hux continued. "But, think logically for once, Ren."

"Supreme Leader, if I may?" Admiral Schneider chimed in, raising a finger. Kylo looked at him and his eyes burned into his, waiting for him to continue. "We can send in a battalion of troopers once we pinpoint their location on the planet and cover you with our Ion cannons from orbit. You will be able to go in and retrieve this girl while the troopers begin the battle. In and out, sir, no harm done."

Kylo saw the logic in the Admiral's statement and nodded. "Very well. Prepare for ground assault."

 **Location: Sullust**

Rey couldn't get over how hot it was on the planet. It wasn't like Jakku where all you could feel was the berating heat from above. On Sullust, the heat rose from the depths of the planet where the lava bubbled up in crevices and the bright blue pools of acid steamed, creating a toxic environment that no human could ever withstand. In the second that she stepped out of the Falcon and into the landing bay before the launch doors closed, she felt a heat wave whoosh in and choked back the fumes, hurrying herself into the facilities.

The Sullustans had set the Resistance up with their own rooms in their lavish underground cities, and once everyone was settled, they had taken up in one of the conference rooms to discuss further action. Rey wanted to pay attention as everyone was talking about strategic plans and how to send a message to their sympathizers across the galaxy, but she couldn't help but feel like something was off. She was nauseous (maybe from the fumes of the planet's surface?), and her head was pounding like it was about to explode. All she heard was Leia debating with Poe about fighting, and Finn siding with Poe, and a bunch of chatter between Chewie and Nein Nunb. During a lull in the meeting, she politely excused herself from the conference room and began her way down the empty corridor.

She was losing herself in her own thoughts as she walked. She was remembering her conversations with Kylo, striking down Snoke, fleeing with the Resistance… she began to fill lightheaded again, feeling that protrusive snake trying to get into her head once more. Maybe she should let him. But then, he would see where the Resistance was… but maybe not. Maybe she could conceal her surroundings… Her head hurt so terribly again, and all she wanted was to speak to him, especially after talking to Chewie about his childhood and the person he once was. So, she made her way down a few more mazes of halls until she finally reached her quarters. She placed her hand on the pad to open the white door, and stepped inside. She wasn't quite sure of what she was doing or why, but she wasn't sure of anything these days… Rey say gently on the white and burgundy patterned bed and closed her eyes.

And she called to him. _Ben?_

The few moments of anticipation made me cringe as she waited for Ben to answer her. Did he cut her off? Probably. Was he mad? Probably. Would he reject her again? Probably. Her anxiety peaked until she opened her eyes, feeling another presence in the room with her. A flood of relief swept over her body as she saw Kylo standing next to the desk adjacent to the window of her room that overlooked one of the many indoor parks where plant life flourished. He didn't acknowledge her, didn't even move. But, she knew that he wouldn't have come unless he knew she was calling him.

Rey stood up, feeling her brown hair slide past her shoulders. She gingerly walked over to Kylo, step by measly step, until she was beside him. They both were staring down into the millions of plants beneath them, the lush green leaves falling over eachother was quite a sight to see, especially to Rey. It just reminded Kylo of his homeworld, which brought pain. It was only after that moment, the moment she approached him, that he turned his head and looked down at her.

"I know you're on Sullust."

His words shocked her like a laser blast to the heart. He had found them! And it was all her fault! She felt shame, embarrassment, and regret flush over her. Rey took a step away from him, shaking her head. Kylo felt all of those negative emotions flood her happy ones, and felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: the need to reassure. He titled his head so he caught her hazel eyes in his gaze, and held them for a moment to make sure she wouldn't look away from him.

"It wasn't you. We had a spy who told us where you were," he told her. He wasn't sure why he was; maybe so she would smile again? Rey felt relief at his statement, but panic all the same.

"You're going to attack us."

The statement was just that. She knew what they had in store for them. Kylo felt just a tad ashamed when she said it, and took a deep breath to steady his thoughts. "Yes. But, I won't, if you come to me."

"I came to you once and look how that turned out," came her spiteful reply.

Kylo chuckled at the truth of it all. "You're right. Look how that turned out."

"Your mother is here, Chewie is here. Would you really sacrifice your family just to prove a point to me that I won't join you?" Rey demanded, crossing her arms now. But, wait. He already had. He had killed his father.

"Rey… there will always be things that you never will understand," Kylo said and lowered himself down onto the desk chair. He kept his legs apart and leaned his elbows on them. "Come with me."

"I won't," she said and shook her head softly. It pained her to do it, to let him go again. But, she had too. She would not shut out and betray her friends. Her voice turned to a whisper. "I can't."

"If you won't come to me, I will have to come to you," Kylo reasoned and stood up. Rey's eyes widened. "You're worried that you'll betray the Resistance? Then I'll come to you. I will retrieve you from their traitorous ways."

"I will not go with you," Rey whispered, still shaking her head, petrified at the thought of it all.

"You won't have a choice. Remember when you resisted me on Takadona?" Kylo asked with raised eyebrows. He needed to convince her. "It's time to stop fighting, Rey. We are destined to be together."

"Not in this way," Rey replied, clutching the sides of her robes tightly, her fingers balling into tightly clenched fists.

"Yes, this is the only way," Kylo said forcefully, his voice raising. It made Rey wince because she knew what happened when he got angry. "Rey, I'm tired of fighting with you about this. You will come to me now, or you will be taken by force."

Rey's eyes narrowed. "You will have to take me."

Kylo's brown eyes narrowed equally and his lips pursed. Rey could feel the anger wash over her, his resentment towards her and the Resistance, her rejection, but more than anything, the fact that she had rejected him yet again. She took a step backwards in fear of his retaliation. "So be it."

He cut off their connection explosively, causing Rey to drop to her knees by the shockwave of it. She put her hand over her heart to steady herself, but she just trembled as the Kylo's feelings reigned over her. She began shaking and almost convulsing with rage, but not at Kylo… at herself. She felt his rage against her. She fell into the fetal position pulling her legs closer to herself and feeling involuntarily tears falling down her cheeks as the feelings rocked her near to unconsciousness. She needed to escape, but she couldn't – she wouldn't. Going with him would end all this pain, all this suffering, and they would be together – like they both wanted. But, the easy way was always the path to the Dark Side, which was exactly what Kylo wanted. He wanted her to give in. But, she was strong and powerful and she refused to give in, no matter how much pain he caused her.

Let him come for her. She would be ready.

Dictionary:

Eriadu – planet located in The Outer Rim, known for being home to the Tarkin family, who served under Emperor Palpatine.

Chandrila – Capital of the New Republic and Kylo Ren's homeworld.

Bespin – Planet known for their Tibana Gas Mining where Han Solo was frozen in carbonite by Darth Vader and given to the bounty hunter, Boba Fett.

Rodian – Species of Reptilian humanoids from the planet Rodia. Greedo was Rodian.


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry for the late update guys, I worked all night Friday and did a day trip with my oldest to the zoo on Saturday. It was a great time, and we had a lot of fun. If anyone has any summer activity ideas for a 3 year old, shoot them my way. My deadline for views and reviews was Sunday at 11:59pm. We came so close on views but not on reviews. Come on guys! I know you can do it! Let's go 15 reviews and 5k views by the end of the week!_

Chapter 3:

Location: Sullust

Rey felt Kylo Ren approaching her through his Force signature. It was progressively getting stronger the closer he came to her. It smelled like leather and birch, musky, like the rain she inhaled on Ahch-To. She ran through the corridors of the city as fast as she could, pushing aside Sullustans and visitors alike. She had to warn the Resistance – had to get to Leia and Finn and Poe… It had taken her all of five minutes to recuperate from Kylo Ren detaching their minds. The moment she was conscious and able to think straight, she scrambled to her feet and left her quarters. She had been running for quite some time, quite possibly in circles, but she couldn't be sure. She didn't have time to slow down and ask where she was either. All she did know was that Kylo Ren had landed on the planet, and he was going to attack.

So she kept running, through every passage she could, trying to find someone – anyone – that spoke Basic so she could find her friends. Though, it was just her luck that the only beings she found were Sullustans and for some reason, a few Rodians. Those species could understand Basic, but she couldn't understand them. Rey was frustrated – beyond frustrated. The right term would be furious, but she wouldn't admit it because that was giving into what Kylo wanted. So, she rounded a corner and ran right into the arms of… Poe?

"Poe!" she shrieked, as he held her in place, his hands on her inner elbows, looking concernedly at her ashen face. "We need to go! We need to –"

"Whoa, Rey, slow down," he commanded her, but her heavy breathing paired with her trying to form words only meant her words came out stuttered and ineligible. "Slow… down, I can't understand you."

Heading his advice, Rey took a shaky breath and focused, clutching Poe's biceps to steady herself from the rebound of being caught. "Kylo Ren is here."

"That's impossible," Poe retorted, though he didn't believe his own words through the look on Rey's face. "How do you know he's here?"

"He told me," Rey replied quickly. Poe raised an eyebrow. "Look, there's no time to explain. He's close – I can feel him here. We need to tell Leia, right now!"

"Right…" Poe muttered and turned Rey in the right direction behind him.

The two began to run through the corridors of the underground city, Poe leading the way back to Leia and the other members of the Resistance. He had just met this girl, and she was as strange as they came. She was able to communicate with Kylo Ren, the most feared mean spreading terror in the galaxy. _He_ told _her_ that he was coming. Something was off about her, him, and this entire situation. Poe just couldn't put his finger on it.

 **Location: Sullust, Fulluusub**

It didn't take long to breach the fortified doors of the Sorrosuub Complex. General Murray had fired a shot from their Ion cannon on the ground along with a few shots from the Walkers, and the door leading into the compelx was suddenly no more. Kylo had given her strict instructions not to damage the door to the point of it not being able to close, though, because Sullustans had what they called "honor." They would gladly throw themselves and the First Order out into the ubreathable toxic atmosphere to aphyxicate if it meant saving the Resistance.

The mission in itself was incredibly dangerous. One wrong move and the entire refinery would explode, leading to millions of causalities. Normally, Kylo wouldn't care about destroying things – in fact, he loved destorying things. It was what gave him his power. But, in this case, Rey was somewhere inside this facility, and he would never forgive himself if she perished due to his negligence.

Just as he had suspected, however, the Falcon was docked in the hanger. Looking at that piece of junk made him feel a mix of heavy emotions. What if he just took Rey and The Falcon, fleed to a safe planet on the other side of the galaxy, and disappeared forever? The thought was definitly tempting.

"Sir, orders?" came a voice to snap him out of his gaze at The Falcon.

Kylo shut his eyes for a moment and turned towards RE-4365. "Lead a battalian into the lower levels and find the Resistance. I want them alive. No excuses, Captain."

"Yes, Supreme Leader," RE-4365 replied and pointed his battalian of troopers into the door leading to the lower corrdiors that would give them access to the depths of the facilitly.

Kylo watched them go for a moment before zoning himself in on the Force in order to sense Rey's Force signature. His mind wandered through the hallways in slow-motion, passing by running civilians, through doorways, and the refinery itself. If she was hiding, he would find her. He took a deep breath, sensing she was close by… But where? His eyes darted back and forth through his mind until it came to rest in a hallway. She was running… he saw her back, her brown hair flying behind her neck, and her stance one of haste. But, she was with someone else… and he couldn't quite make out who it was. His life force didn't reveal anything to him other than they had crossed paths once before. That didn't mean anything – he had crossed paths with half of the Resistance. In the greater scheme, whoever she was with was not important. He had found her, and that was all that mattered.

Kylo closed himself off and reinforced his mental barrier against her, just in case she tried to see where he was. It was easy to do so; he was skilled at telekensis. When he was just a learner under Snoke, one of the most important things he was ever taught was to build up a barrier so strong no one could use your emotions, thoughts, and memories against you. Rey hadn't done so yet, and he could sense her confliction even now. She wanted to find him, she wanted to run away with him to end it all, but she was worried about her friends. Admirable, but futile. Kylo closed himself off to the Force so he was all but invisible to her, and began following her Force signature. He would find her in this maze, there was no doubt of that.

Leia's eyes narrowed as she listened to what Rey was telling her. She had felt a distrubrance in the Force, but she didn't aknowledge that it was her son. Rey told her frantically that he had landed on the planet and was close by, if not already in the facility. It was the radio communications from two of her soliders on the higher levels that confirmed this: they had spotted stormtroopers clearing the facility. Leia didn't question how Rey knew; she knew that she was special, like her son, and had sensed that there was a connection between them.

"What's the likelihood of getting to the transports the Sullustans have given us?" Leia asked Poe hurriedly. If they were going to escape this attack, it would have to be now. They did not have enough of an army to stand and fight The First Order yet, even with the Sullustans backing them.

"We would have to move now," Poe replied and rested his gaze on Rey. Rey tilted her head, wondering what the look he gave her was all about.

"Let's do it," Leia rose from her chair. "Gather everyone you can, and radio them to meet us at Docking Bay 63. Move!"

Rey watched as the rest of the Resistance filed out of the confrence room until it was just her and Leia. Her shoulders slumped as she looked at her elder, knowing that she could save them. She just needed to hold Kylo off. Leia could sense her fear, but she knew that there was something between Rey and her son… she didn't know what, but she knew it had great influence over him. Rey had to stay in order for them to escape.

"I'm going to stay."

The statement was plain, simple; a warning for Leia not to argue against what Rey was proposing. Leia also knew that Rey was strong, independent, and was responsbile enough to make her own decisions – this one was a sacrifice, but one that she intended to make fully. Leia rested a hand on her shoulder in comfort, and nodded.

"I know," she said softly. "Know this about my son, Rey. He is unstable, and he has been for a long time."

She left it at that, knowing that the young girl would heed her advice. Rey didn't watch as Leia left the room; it would have caused her too much pain. She felt the tears well up in her eyes, and couldn't help but think this was all her fault. She was the one whose feelings continously betrayed her; she was the one who decided to contact Kylo. But, she could make it right – she could give him what he wanted so he would call off the attack on the Resistance. With a shaky sigh, she wiped her tears away from her cheeks, and took a deep breath. If she was to face him, she could not show him weakness.

Kylo Ren's auroa was one of absolute fear. Everyone in the galaxy knew what he was, what he had done, and what he was prepared to do. The news that Snoke had been defeated had passed through the galaxy rather quickly – and so did the news that Kylo Ren had become the new Supreme Leader. Unlike Snoke, who sat in his throne room and commanded his army from afar, Kylo had proven in his short time as Supreme Leader that he was ambitious. He didn't see himself ever sitting in a throne room giving orders. He was on the front lines; always had been, always would be.

It was easier this way, especially since he had missions he had to accomplish under the noses of everyone working for him. Capturing Rey was a main priority of his that he couldn't let anyone else know about. If the word got out that he was going after a Jedi because he wanted her, not wanted to kill her, systems wouldn't fear the new Supreme Leader. Kylo knew this all too well, and that's why apart from his top officers, no one else knew the reason he had truly led the attack on Sullust.

He had taken matters into his own hands when it came to Rey. Not only was she stubborn, but absolutley blind to what he was willing to give her. He could give her everything she wanted – her own ship, her own planet, her own system… if she wanted it. All she needed to do was join him. Instead, she chose to deny his offer, and prefered to play this dreadful game of cat-and-mouse. But, he would humor her because she couldn't hide from him now.

The hallways leading to where her Force signature was strong were blinking and unruly. Kylo had sliced down a few Sullustans who had tried to fight him while he was on his hunt, not that it mattered. Death was a natural part of life, and their turn to transform into the living Force was when he decided it. He kept his blade extinguished to not draw that much attention to himself. He had one purpose: get in, get Rey, get out before this whole damn factory blew up.

But, she had blocked him out. He had tried prodding at her mind to create the bond again, but she would not let him. He could tell she was fighting him but did not understand why. Hope was lost – he was coming for her and not leaving without her. She was better off to surrender herself to make things easier on both of them. Yet, she still insisted to block him out. He admired her resolve, but every effort she made was futile.

Rey waited in the observatory platform above the docking bay as the rest of the Resistance loaded themselves and their supplies into the cargo ships provided by the Sullustans. Quite a few of the natives decided to go with them to escape. She didn't blame them – she would've been on those ships too if it was up to her. She watched as Poe gestured Geneva and Snap into the third heavily armored ship on the left, pointing to Finn to start loading the guns into the ships on the right. Chewie was talking to one of the Sullustans, and C-3PO was gesturing to R2 to follow him and quickly.

Leia had gone into the ships a long time ago, and that was one of Rey's first prorities. She needed to be as far away from here as possible with Kylo hunting Rey down. Rey tapped her fingers on the keypad to open the flight doors. She glanced down at the trajectory of the ships: they would be going to lightspeed right when they cleared the blast doors so they would jettison right past the First Order's nine ships surrounding the planet. It was an incredibly risky move, but their only way to escape. Rey stood at the ready: as soon as they gave her the signal, it was up to her to open the doors and allow them to leave the planet once and for all.

Chewie looked up to where she was waiting once the Sullustan had left his side. The two exchanged a knowing gaze, and she could almost hear him whimper before he descended into the ship Leia had boarded. Rey watched as Finn finished loading the guns into the ships and the last of the Resistance and fleeing Sullustans ran onto the loading platforms. He waved to Rey solemley, a sad look on his lips and in his eyes. Rey waved back softly, raising her hand only just. Soon, Poe was the only one left behind on the floor, double checking that they had loaded everything they needed aboard. Rey's heart was beating a million miles an hour for a variety of reasons – mostly because she was scared she wouldn't open the doors at the correct time.

Poe eventually finished his search, and looked up to Rey. The two locked their gazes; brown eyes on hazel eyes. There was a lot in his gaze: confused, unknowing, sadness, and most of all hope. He held her gaze for a moment longer than he should have, studying Rey, before turning his back to her, and boarding the ship Chewie and Leia had boarded. Rey's heart sank when she could no longer see them, but she was waiting for their radio to the tower to know when she should open the doors.

She eagerly waited as the ships began their turn towards the doors. What would happen after this? Where would they go? They hadn't told her – probably because they didn't know. The Resistance would more than likely readevous with another one of their supporters, gathering followers until they were strong enough to combat the First Order again. But, a lot of that hope rested upon Rey's own shoulders. Leia was relying on her to turn Kylo Ren back into Ben Solo. If she could turn him, that would stop the First Order once and for all. But, it would also bring closure to Rey, and especially Leia.

"Rey, this is Poe," came Poe's voice through the comm's in the observatory platform. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Rey said, readying herself.

"We will ready in a few secodnds," he replied, and Rey eagerly watched. "Are you ready to open the doors?"

"I am," she answered, her finger hovering over the button on the panel. "Just waiting on you."

"Now, you make that sound like it's a bad thing," Poe joked, and Rey cracked a little smile.

"May the Force be with you," she said. "All of you."

There was a momentary pause, and Rey held her breath. "May the Force be with you, Rey. We're ready. Five… Four… Three… Two… One, and we are a-go!"

Rey pressed down on the button and her breath caught in her chest as she saw the black doors of the hanger open. As soon as the the opening was wide enough, one by one the ships jumped into hyperspace. The two minutes it took for them to clear the atmosphere and jump past the Star Destroyers awaiting them. Those two minutes felt like an eternity to Rey, who began to pace as she waited for Poe to contact her again. What if they weren't fast enough? What if they crashed right into a Star Destroyer? What if… what if… what –"

"Rey, do you copy?" came Poe's ragged voice. It sounded like he had been breathing heavy, but his tone was light and happy. "Come in, Rey!"

Rey hurried back over to the comm. "I'm here!"

"We made it," Poe said and Rey let out a sigh of relief. "We will try to contact you as soon as we reach our destination."

"Good luck," Rey wished to them.

The communication was cut off, which left Rey broken bit by bit inside. It had distracted her from her next task: finding Kylo Ren before he found her. She took a deep breath, somewhat shakily and uneven, and left the observatory platform. The halls were bare without the constant noise from the bustly Sullustans, and it was eerily quiet. She could hear footfalls of stormtroopers down the hallways, and as she crept along the corridors, saw many Sullustans who had given their lives to help The Resistance escape. The thought sickened her. They had slain these innocent people on Kylo Ren's orders, just to get to her.

It ignited a fire inside of her that she didn't quite understand. She needed to fight for her people, for their cause, because if she didn't, Kylo would just keep going after them until they were nothing more than dust falling into the atmoshphere of whatever unknown planet he had destoryed. She tapped into her anger, and found something strange: it gave her strength. It gave her the power to keep moving forward, to seek revenge for these Sullustans and all the Resistance members that Kylo had slaughtered, and to make things right once and for all.

It wasn't long before Rey sensed he was getting closer to her. His scent, his aoura, his absolute resolve was nearing her position, and she knew that if she were to act like she was looking for him, she would no longer have the upper hand in this battle. So, she decided to wait on the 34th level, close to the lifts, so if she had to escape, she could with ease. Her mind was racing, so she thought back to what Master Luke had taught her: in times of distress or fear, meditate. It seemed hardly like a time to sit down and quiet her mind, but maybe she could use it to her advantage.

Rey sat on her bottom in front of the lifts, crossed her legs, and with great hesitation, closed her eyes. She began to rid her mind of the unuseful thoughts and emotions, her fear, her hatred, her power… until there wasn't anything left but her very being and soul. The Force flowed around her, whispered to her, and spoke boomingly to her. What was it telling her to do? _Go._ Go?

"Go where?" Rey whispered.

"With me." Came a familiar commanding voice.

Rey's eyes opened frantically, cutting her connection off with the Force to see a man dressed in all black in front of her. He looked rather dashing, yet dreadfully fearful as he stood before her. His brown eyes ate her like Gizka Steak, greedily and hungrily, like he couldn't get enough of her. Rey pushed her lips together before slowly standing to her to feet to assess the situation.

Kylo had come alone. There weren't any stormtroopers to take her into custody for him this time. He hadn't drawn his lightsaber; it wasn't even in her view. He appeared to be sincere in his effort; his eyes certainly said so. He had obviously taken great lengths to find her, and he probably already knew that the remaining Resistance members had escaped past his fleet. Though, if he cared about their escape, he didn't show it. Rey could tell that he was focused on her and her alone.

The two locked eyes immediately, and didn't break their gaze. Kylo took a daring step closer to her, just to test the waters. He knew that he had to be gentle, presuasive, and seductive if he wanred Rey to come with him. This wasn't any easy challenge, and she was making it harder than what it needed to be by far. But, Kylo could tell by her auroua that she had calmed herself, and her thoughts were all in one place: on him.

So he decided it was time to press her. "Will you come with me, Rey?"

Rey looked at him, and brought her hand up to her chest in a protective, yet conflicted stance. Her mission was completed: the Resistance had escaped. Her new objective was the simple one: go with Kylo and buy them time. It was so simple – just go with him, accept his offer, but why did it seem to tedious? Why was she so scared? Deep in her heart she knew: she was giving into everything she shouldn't have been: the dark, the hatred, the lust for power even.

What would happen when she got onto his ship? Would he imprison her again? Would he torture her and learn all her secrets? There were so many ifs, so many things that she hadn't forseen. She didn't get enough time in meditation to see anything at all. Just the Force telling her to "Go." But, go where? With Kylo? He certainly seemed to think so. But, she could've fleed anywhere: from Sullust, to the Resistance, or even back to Jakku. But, her options at this point were severely limited, so she made a bold choice.

Kylo sensed her emotions leaning towards coming with him. She just needed that little push to complete it. He gingerly took the black leather glove off of his right hand, never breaking his gaze from her big hazel eyes, and outstretched his hand to her like he had done so many times before. He half expected her not to take it, and to start a battle that he wasn't sure if he could win. But instead, Rey's fingers twitched, and she began to move her hand towards her. Kylo swore his heart stopped in that moment. Everything he wanted, had been hunting for, had been dreaming of, was right in front of him.

When their fingers touched, it was a long overude reunion. It felt hot like fireworks, yet soft like skin. Rey felt a sense of completeness wash over her to the point where she had to close her eyes to drink it all into her being. She knew through their bond that he was just as complete as her now that they were touching. He was at ease, without a care in the world about anything but her. This was how she wanted to feel constantly: loved and accepted. Why hadn't she gone to him before? She knew this was what he gave her, yet somehow she had still felt unruly. But, not anymore.

Kylo smiled at her, the first real smile she had seen him give her. He held onto her hand like he wouldn't ever touch her skin again if he let it go, and began to walk down the corridor in which he came. Rey followed as if she was in a trance, but she didn't want this feeling to ever leave her heart. She was complete now, with him by her side. Kylo intertwined his fingers with hers, and a feeling of happiness washed over Rey like an ocean. He wanted her, needed her, just like she wanted and needed him.

Her eyes focused on the lift that was in front of them as Kylo pressed the grey button calling for it to come get them. Rey was content; her heart was happy. And then, it was suddenly… all black. Kylo caught her in his arms as she fell gracefully to the floor. He cradled her gently against his chest, savouring the last few moments he would get with her before calling his garrison and flying back to The Absolution. He took this time to memorize every inch of skin on her face, and how peaceful she looked. He knew that she was peaceful – her Force prescence had changed from infuriated to calm. And it would stay calm until she woke up.

Kylo felt only a little guilty for knocking her out again, but he didn't want to risk her running off or changing her mind. He knew how indecisive she was. But, she had given him herself, had accepted his offer to go with him, so technically, he wasn't abducting her like the last time he put her to sleep. The only ones who knew he had came for her were General Hux and Admiral Schnedier, but he knew they weren't going to start a rebellion against him for wanting her. The stormtroopers, however, he was leery of since FN-2187 defected and jointed the Resistance. To them, Rey would just be a prisoner.

Kylo stepped into the lift, still cradling Rey against his chest, and amazed at how natural it felt for her to be there. He had many other women lay against his chest after escapades or even before (a few when he was training with Luke, though he never did tell his Uncle that he had snuck off into their quarters to complete his escpades when he was all but sixteen. Then there were the cantina hook-ups, the stunt on Tatoonine, and the adventure on Ryloth with those sex hungry Twi'lek's), but nothing had ever felt so natural, so elluring as Rey.

He rode the lift up to the hanger where the stormtroopers were waiting for him. They hadn't set fire to the refinery or even remotely destroyed it, and Kylo was grateful – not only did that save them all from possibly being incinerated; he could also use it as a mining operation for The First Order. If the Sullutstans refused to work, he would enslave them for their trechory against his regime. He felt on top of the world with power and confidence, and he was willing to exploit that to the absolute most of his abilites.

"Sir," RE-4365 saluted as he walked past the troops. "The facility has been cleared as per requested."

Kylo nodded and continued walking towards his shuttle, right next to The Falcon. "Have one of your men pilot The Millenium Falcon onto The Absolution. I want it in cargo bay fifty-four."

"Yes, Supreme Leader," RE-4365 said and turned to give this important task to one of his best men.

Kylo walked into the lounge area of his shuttle and laid Rey gently on the couch, as if he would break her if he put her down too hard. She didn't even stir when her head touched the pillow. The moment Kylo disconnected from her, he felt empty, incomplete. His power and confidence were gone, and in place of his once lucid emotions was now anger, fear, and desperation. How could she do this to him? Apparently their bond was a lot stronger than he had realized.

As the shuttle took off to leave the planet, Kylo vowed he would show Rey the true meaning and power of the Dark Side. He would drive the light from her to the point where she would never long to go back to The Resistance or worse yet, to his mother. His thoughts laid upon Leia, and he took a long, deep breath. He had been within mere feet of his mother at one point, but couldn't bring himself to go to her, just like he couldn't bring himself to destory her during that damn battle… he was sure that she had been defeated at first, but then he felt her prescence in the Force, and knew that his mother was too stubborn to give up on life that easily. Just like Rey. She was so much like Leia…

Kylo commanded his shuttle Captain to take off back to The Absolution, leaving his feelings of regret and hurt on this forsaken planet. He had what he wanted, and she was only a few inches away from him. He would keep her there at all times: to protect her. Because after all, it was now his duty, not only as Supreme Leader, but also as her bondmate.

 _Dictionary:_

 _Basic – most prevelant language in the Galaxy (like English)_

 _Fulluusub – largest settlement on Sullust containing the Sorosubb Corportation (30% of Sullustans were employed by them)_

 _Gizka Steak – delicacy made from Gizka which were a repitle species found all over the galaxy._

 _Ryloth – planet in The Outer Rim covered in dense forests. Its native species were called Twi'leks, and were often used for slavery._


	4. Chapter 4

_Happy Sunday! Touching on a few things here. Carissa, you are absolutely right about both things: Rey's confliction makes hardly any sense, and Kylo was obviously going to knock her out. In this next chapter, we are going to begin the building blocks of their relationship. I'm going to warn you: this is not going to be pretty. Please please please let's get up to 10 reviews, and at least 5k views. SHARE this with everyone you know. Make them review. Great prizes await! Please. For me._

Chapter 4:

 **Location: The Absolution**

Her face was raw, untamed beauty. It held the wisdom of a Jedi Master, yet the longing of a Padawan. Kylo studied her, much like he had studied her before when they were in this almost exact same scenario. That felt so long ago. He had marveled at her beauty then as well, but didn't expect to be spat at and resisted like she had. This time, he was more cautious. She would awake when he wanted her too, but not a moment before. This gave him all the time he needed to prepare himself for the certain backlash that awaited him.

How would he even begin to explain himself? Surely he had betrayed her trust already. But, he would make up for it with fulfilling his end of the bargain: he would give her anything and everything she wanted, as long as she stayed by his side. Then came the inevitable question: What place did she hold in his broken, shattered, unforgiving heart? What role did she play in his ridiculous, melancholy, bitter life? These were the things he needed to unravel before he flicked her mind on again. Kylo needed to prove his value to her because she was a Queen that didn't need him, but he was a King that absolutely needed her.

Even after hours of staring at her, he couldn't make sense of his thoughts or feelings. If anything, he felt more dumbfounded than he had before. The question that was the most troublesome was where Rey belonged. He was certain that it was next to him, but something in the back of his mind was poking at him, making him think that maybe that was not the case. The realization was terrifying so he chose to ignore it.

It was time to wake her up, after all.

* * *

Rey awoke with a start, her hazel eyes frantically opening to reveal a black and silver blur. She blinked to clear her vision, her head pounding like she had been hit in the head with a million bricks over and over again. She had only ever felt this way once before… but, she couldn't place when. Instead, she attempted to focus her eyes on her surroundings.

She was in a room, a dark room. The black and silver blur slowly faded into a ceiling, and there were red lights on either end of her vision. She slowly turned her head to the left to not nauseate herself, and saw a small black table with a black lamp on it. Beyond the table was a door a little off to the side. There was a feeling of cushion underneath of her which could only mean she was lying on a cot or a bed. When she looked down, her suspicions were confirmed. Rey was lying in a huge bed clad in black sheets. The pillows beneath her head were black with silver lining and felt so comforting against her pounding brain.

Her skin was warm, which meant that wherever she was had to be somewhere quite comfortable. She was beginning to relax now. There was no immediate threat and she wasn't in danger for the time being. Her headache was beginning to lessen as well. She decided to turn her head the other direction to see more of her current situation, and was met with… a flood of wild emotions that she couldn't control.

"You!" Rey screeched and jumped to her feet. The moment she did so, her brain felt like it was sloshing from side to side in her skull. She was dizzy, lightheaded, and her vision was fading rapidly.

Kylo leapt from his chair at the side of the bed to catch her before she hit the hard tile floor. His arms caught her gracefully as she fell forward, only lightly bumping her head against his shoulder. She grasped onto his arms absently in order to pull herself up, but Kylo held her steady. Her head was still pounding and all she felt was impulsive anger. She knew where she was now: on Kylo's Star Destroyer, in his quarters… and she was lying in his bed. Her stomach was in knots, and it wasn't because she was nauseated.

"You shouldn't move; it will only make it worse," Kylo advised her. He liked her closeness this way, even though she was squirming incessantly and rightfully mad at him.

"You tricked me!" she sputtered out against his chest, bringing her hands up to beat on it to no avail.

Kylo looked down at her thudding fists and had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at her typical female response. "Rey, I didn't trick you."

"You knocked me out!" came her rebuttal.

"I did, but listen," he said, put his hands on her shoulders, and pulled her away so she could look him in the eyes. Their hazel and brown orbs met, and the moment they did, he did not let her pull away her gaze from him. "I did it as a precaution."

"I'm surprised you didn't lock me up like you did last time," she replied squarely, never wavering her gaze from him.

Kylo tilted his head ever so slightly and narrowed his eyes just a tad for effect. "You're making awfully coherent sentences for someone who almost fainted just a minute ago."

"Oh, piss off," Rey said and pushed him away from her.

Kylo raised his eyebrows as she took a moment to steady herself. His smile was inside, though; he had won that little fight, and she knew it. As soon as she had righted her body and her vision had cleared, Rey took in her surroundings. She was definitely in his quarters. There was his bed (which she had unknowingly laid in for goodness knows how long); around the corner, a small kitchenette with a grey mug sitting on the marble countertop (a strong smell came from it – something rich and nutty that arose from the brown liquid), and around the corner from the kitchenette was a small living area with two black couches with thick blankets on them. Rey looked back to Kylo, who had followed her at a safe distance. His hands were behind his back in military position, and he looked at her quizzically, as to ask her what she thought of his home.

"You live here, then?" she asked.

Kylo nodded. "It's sufficient."

Rey stood for a moment, then ran her hand over the lush black blankets on the couch, savoring the softness of the fabric. "It's much nicer than anything I ever had."

"It's yours," Kylo told her, his voice raising a pitch. Rey turned back to stare at him with a confused look on her face. "You came with me, and I promised that you could have whatever you wanted, so… I gave you a home."

Rey didn't know if she should feel honored or appalled. Home was not this; not on a Star Destroyer with the people who she justly hated, the people who had tried to kill her and her friends on countless occasions. But, at the same time, Kylo's quarters were exceptionally better than her AT-AT on Jakku. Her heart was happy when she turned to face him with a genuine smile.

"So I'm living with you then?" she asked.

If Kylo's cheeks grew warm, he hoped she couldn't tell. "Yes. We will be living here together."

Rey noticed the hint of red creep over the pale skin of his cheeks, and inwardly grinned. "Will I be confined here?"

"No," Kylo finally moved from his rooting on the floor over to the kitchenette. He opened one of the dark cupboards, searched around for a moment, and then pulled out a clear bottle with a light brown liquid in it. Rey watched him carefully and he set the bottle on the counter, opened the refrigerator, pulled out a purple juice, and mixed the two drinks together in two glasses. She had seen this technique before by a Bothan who visited Nima Outpost many moons ago. Kylo was mixing a drink for her. Slowly, she approached him, cautious of the liquid he was pouring.

"What is that?" she asked softly.

"Sullustan gin and Bribb juice," Kylo replied casually, and offered her a cup.

Rey took the cup and gingerly took her first sip of the drink. What tasted on her tongue was sweet yet with a bite, and a fire in her throat as she swallowed it. It stung going down, but she found herself eagerly taking another sip and another and another… Kylo only chuckled as she drank, taking slow drinks of his cup.

"This is very good," Rey said, raising her eyes at him over the brim of her cup.

Kylo reached out with a gloved hand and lowered the glass back down to the counter, earning himself a whine in protest from Rey. "Careful there, or you'll get intoxicated."

"What if I want to be?" Rey demanded, crossing her arms.

Kylo let out a breath. This shouldn't have surprised him; she was so argumentive. "I wouldn't be a very good host if I allowed that to happen, now would I? Besides, you have to see the rest of my ship."

Rey's eyebrows raised.

Kylo jumped in before she could say anything else. "You'll need to change. I had the tailor make up some robes for you. But, please finish your drink."

Kylo turned to get her robes out of his closet, and Rey raised the cup to her lips once again.

"If I do, I may become addicted to it," she said dangerously, her voice low and cunning.

Kylo sighed. "I already am."

* * *

Kylo patiently waited for Rey to come out of the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the bed with his hands clasped tightly in front of him. He took the time to meditate and listen to the Will of the Force, but as hard as he tried to clear his mind, there was something blocking him from reaching the Force. He couldn't place what it was, but he certainly had a good idea. He tried asking what the Force wanted from him, what it wanted him to do, the very nature of it… but as hard as he tried, he was met with absolutely nothing.

The door creaked open slowly, and Kylo's eyes shot up. Rey slowly emerged from the bathroom, a look of disgust on her beautiful face. Kylo stood when she came from behind the door, like any gentleman would. She had been made a pair of black robes that laced over her bodice in two straps, leading into two pieces of material that hugged her body closely. She had on black trousers and black boots that covered her legs but laced up to above her knees. Her black wraps were wound tightly around her arms, exposing the tops of her shoulders and interlacing through her fingers. She had taken her hair out of her normal buns and instead, it was only half way up out of her eyes. She looked decadent, delicious, so delectable…

"These are hideous."

Her words snapped Kylo out of his trance, and he tried to speak, but his mouth was dry. He cleared his throat. "They suit you."

"They do not," Rey pointed a finger in his face as she walked by him towards the door. "Are you coming?"

Kylo grinned and followed her to the door. He waved his hand, and the door opened, revealing a hallway. He jogged to keep up to her, making sure she stayed in his sight. Rey looked over to him, eyeing him cautiously. Rey noted that all around her were officers, Stormtroopers, and droids. They gave Rey an uneasy feeling, but none of them seemed to be concerned with her. They bowed at Kylo however, mumbled "Supreme Leader" here and there, but they paid no attention to the girl at his side. She kept trying to get ahead of him, but he couldn't allow that.

At the nearest supply closet after making sure no one would see, Kylo grabbed her waist quickly, resorting in a yelp from her lips, opened the door using the Force, ducked them both inside the small room, and shut the door so his back was pressed against it. A small light dimmed above them, reflecting Rey's furious hazel eyes. She had such fire, such anger, and such passion. She was perfect in every way.

"You have to stay by my side at all times," he commanded her strictly.

"Why?"

They were close. Too close. Rey could feel his breath lingering on her forehead, and she gazed up into his eyes, questioning him, rebutting him, and hopefully making him back down. But, she quickly realized that her blood had turned to slush at their close proximity, and she was more concerned about keeping her breath steady than fighting with him.

"I don't want you to run off."

"I wasn't going to run off."

"It certainly seemed like it."

"It doesn't surprise me that you're having delusions."

Kylo noticed that her breathing pattern had changed… and so did his. Something was telling him to pull her closer, but he pushed it out of his head. Not here, not in this supply closet. Did he even want her in that way or did he just want her power, as an ally? He took a deep breath to calm himself, before realizing that he could use her lust against her and exploit it. She was naïve, and she definitely didn't know any better.

He took a gloved hand and brought his index and middle fingers up to raise her chin so she was looking him in the eye. Kylo could tell that she was struggling to control herself, but deep inside in a part of him that he never knew existed, so was he. He leaned down so his lips were only centimeters away from hers, his gaze drifting from her lips to her hazel orbs, and his lips opened slightly.

"Do not wander away from me."

He opened the supply closet door and stepped outside, gesturing for her to come out. Rey stood awestruck at what had just transpired, not knowing whether she should want more or smack him across the face for even trying. The look on Kylo's face said to hurry, he wasn't waiting for her. She blinked a few times, and stepped out beside him, noticing two Stormtroopers on patrol had noticed them come out of the closet. She watched as Kylo noticed this as well. He didn't have to say anything to the stalled soldiers; they nodded their heads at him and moved on with their patrol as quickly as they had stopped. Kylo closed the door with the Force and began to lead her through the hallway.

"What ship are we on?" Rey asked with genuine curiosity.

"The Absolution," came his response. They rounded the corner into the conference areas. "This is where we hold our meetings."

"So you can plan to destroy The Resistance?" Rey asked. Her question was innocent enough, but the fire in her tone angered him. Rey sensed his both through the Force and physically. "I'm sorry, I'm your guest."

Kylo was surprised that his tactic made her learn quickly. "We plan lots of things here."

"Like?" she pressed.

"Military strategy, if we have to send aide to a planet, where we need to deploy garrisons –"

"Wait, wait," Rey stopped him and held up a hand as they walked through the corridor. "You _help_ planets?"

"Yes," Kylo replied, a tone of surprise in his voice. "We help planets."

"But you slaughter innocent people," Rey said blankly.

"Maybe those people weren't as innocent as you once thought," Kylo said. "The Jedi slaughtered many people to create The Republic before it fell. The Rebellion slaughtered the Empire's army, and the Resistance slaughtered The First Order's army. Everyone slaughters 'innocent people', and everyone has their own opinion on how the galaxy should be governed. But, when it comes down to it, Rey, no one is really innocent, and everyone has killed. Your friend, the pilot, he has killed at least six hundred of our troopers, and the traitor killed Captain Phasma. And you, Rey… I saw you kill two of my troopers on Takodana."

Rey bit her lip. He was right – she had killed those troopers, and she would have killed him too if Starkiller Base wasn't collapsing around them. But, Master Luke… had he killed? He was always preaching to her that violence wasn't the Jedi way. Kylo seemed to sense her thoughts, and pushed her a little farther.

"Even Skywalker killed," Kylo said. The two rounded the corner to black stairs that led up to a large blast door. "My mother and father, especially my father, killed. Don't think that one side is worse than the other because both sides are equally evil, just in different ways."

"If you truly think that, why are you leading The First Order?" Rey asked him.

Kylo pressed his lips together. "I chose the side I thought made the most sense. Come on."

* * *

When Rey entered The Bridge of The Absolution, the chatter immediately stopped. All eyes in the command center stopped their assignments and gazed up at her as if they had never seen a woman before. Rey felt uncomfortable as she followed Kylo slowly. She wondered why they paid attention to her all of a sudden when the troopers in the hallway didn't seem to even notice she was with him.

At the end of the Bridge was a large window, to which a man wearing a black cloak with red hair was standing, hands behind his back. She could tell by Kylo's stance that he didn't like this man, whoever he was. Rey tried her best not to look at all the wandering sets of eyes, from men and women alike, and stayed close to Kylo, to where she felt the most secure. Why had he brought her here?

When they reached the man in the cloak, Kylo stood beside him, also putting his hands behind his back military style, and looking out into the stars out the window. Rey had never seen a more beautiful sight than all the twinkling lights about her. She realized immediately that she would stay here and gaze out into the galaxy if she could. She was so perplexed with her view that she hardly realized that Kylo had begun speaking.

"General Hux, this is Rey."

"Nice to know she has a first name," Hux sneered at his counterpart. "I take it your mission was successful then, Ren."

"Fairly," replied Kylo, his tone unwavering.

Hux turned his attention to Rey, and she felt herself shrink considerably under his gaze. "I've heard a lot about you… mostly that you cause us a lot of problems."

Rey had to bite her lip from making a snide remark. "Some see them as problems, I see them as solutions."

Hux laughed and shook his head. "You're young and naïve yet. Soon you will realize that you were in the wrong and that we will prevail."

Kylo turned to look down at Rey with nothing but an annoyed look in his brown eyes. "General Hux is second in command."

Hux gave Kylo a stare worthy of death itself before turning his attention back to Rey. "Do you know where your friends are headed?"

"No, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you," Rey replied crossing her arms over her chest. Hux looked from Rey to Kylo and then back to Rey. "Besides, it doesn't matter. I'm what you wanted."

Hux chuckled. "No, dear girl. _You_ are what Ren wanted. To wipe out the Resistance once and for all is what _I_ wanted."

Rey clamped her lips shut and her eyes drifted out towards the stars once more. What could that have possibly meant? Kylo excused Hux from The Bridge and walked forward so he was out-of-earshot of the officers working tirelessly on their tasks. Rey followed him, taking her place beside him. The two looked out over the glass to the many stars in front of them.

"What did he mean by that?" she asked him softly.

Kylo focused his vision on a star that he knew to be Naboo, the home of his grandmother. He visited there once with his parents when he was but a boy, and remembered the vast fields of purple flowers, beautiful waterfalls, and lush foliage. He thought of it as an exuberantly remarkable place. It was calming and beautiful. He wanted to take Rey there so she could experience it as well.

"My mission was to come for you and you alone," Kylo offered his explanation to her. "You are my first priority. My mother and her pitiful band of traitors come second."

Rey let out a low breath. "Why? Why did you come for me?"

Kylo hoped that he could've avoided this conversation all together, but it was obvious that he couldn't shut her down. He turned to look at her, her big hazel eyes, the way that she saw things was entirely different than he did, and he knew that. And he could exploit that.

"I can't explain it," Kylo told her honestly. "Call it the will of the Force. It wants me close to you."

Rey nodded, understanding the feeling and situation very well. She knew in her heart that it was time to let the subject go, and focus her energy on something else. She looked out to where Kylo had returned to staring, seeing a bright star amidst its other glowing counterparts. She was curious as to why he was staring at just that particular one when she had so many questions about every single one.

"Which one are you staring at?" she asked.

"Naboo," he replied. Rey raised an eyebrow; that was an interesting name. "My grandmother was born there. She ruled as Queen for quite some time before The Trade Federation tried to infiltrate the planet. My grandfather saved them by destroying their droid control ship when he was just a boy. It's quite an interesting story."

Rey was interested indeed. "Was that how they met then?"

Kylo took a step closer to the window, losing himself in the story that his mother once told him. "In a way. My grandfather had been freed for slavery on a planet called Tatooine, and he met my grandmother when she was escaping The Trade Federation with two Jedi escorts."

"Your family is nothing short of intriguing," Rey said, her thoughts betraying her. She wanted to learn so much more about him, about his family, about Master Luke; and this was just the beginning. Kylo had knowledge far beyond her capability, and she could listen to him, learn from him. "Tell me more?"

"The Jedi were tasked to stop The Trade Federation from taking over the planet," Kylo began. "So, the Jedi Council sent them to the Viceroy of the Federation, who tried to have them executed. He was working under the Emperor, who was just a Senator from Naboo at the time. The Jedi made contact with my grandmother, and they escaped the planet, but their ship was in disarray. They landed on Tatooine to repair the ship where she met Anakin, my grandfather. The Jedi freed him, and once their ship was repaired, they continued to Coruscant, which was the Capital of the Republic. My grandmother pled her case to the Senate while Anakin was denied training by the Jedi Council, even though he was Force sensitive. The Senate didn't take action against The Trade Federation, so my grandmother went back to her planet on her own to fight them. They drove them out in a fierce battle, and Anakin destroyed the control ship. That battle was important, though, because it finally revealed that the Sith had returned after being extinct for close to a thousand years."

Rey blinked a few times, taking in everything Kylo had just told her. She had a thousand questions, but was on The Bridge the right time to ask them?

"Naboo is a serene place," Kylo told her. "I would like to take you there, just the two of us."

Rey was taken aback. "Why?"

"You have been to four planets besides Jakku," Kylo said convincingly while turning to face her. "Besides, like I said, my main priority is you and _only you._ Hux can handle the day to day operations while we are gone."

"We are going there? When?" Rey asked, her eyes wide.

"We will leave immediately," Kylo suggested. He reached out and scooped her hand into his from its resting place at her side. "This is a place that's very important to me, and I want to share that with you."

Rey wondered what it would be like to decide to go to planets at a split second, to have such freedom to do anything and everything you wanted, whenever you wanted to do it. If she stayed with Kylo, this was her future. She could go anywhere, do anything she wanted. But, she didn't want to be feared. She did not want people to bow down to her or be afraid when they saw her. Rey wanted to experience the galaxy freely, as a tourist, not a conqueror.

Rey looked from her hand in his up to his brown eyes, and gave him a small smile. "Fine, but I have a few conditions. You can't go as Kylo Ren. You're going as Ben."

She knew that the comment would make him angry, but she sensed that his fury was nowhere near what it was the last time she had called him Ben.

She continued quickly, "I want to explore the galaxy without being feared, but I want you next to me. No killing, no conquering, no fear. I just want Ben Solo, not Kylo Ren."

Kylo studied the young woman's face, considering her stipulations. This was important to her, just as taking her to Naboo was important to him. Trust did go both ways, and this was the first step into her larger life. "Fine. I will make the necessary arrangements."

As the two turned and walked down the center floor of The Bridge, Rey felt her lips turn upwards into a small grin. "So, did you take me so we can explore planets together?"

The two exited The Bridge. As soon as the blast doors closed, sealing them off from the onlookers who stared at them for far too long, Kylo turned to face her, bringing a gloved finger up to her cheek. He ran his thumb over her skin; over her lips, feeling the protruding of her bottom lip; down her chin; and then under her chin. Rey stood mesmerized at his touch, a look that made Kylo's insides flip over and clench as though they were on fire.

"I told you I would give you anything you wanted," he whispered. "You have a home now, and the freedom and ability to do anything you want and have anything you want. You told me when you were on Ahch-To that you always wanted to explore the galaxy. I can do that for you. I can do anything for you… if you let me."

Rey closed her eyes as Kylo spoke to her. It was like being lost in a dream-like state, where all she could think about was how much she wanted him, and how content she was with the world and everything at that very moment. Slowly, her hazel orbs opened and the view of a handsome man came into her vision. She could feel the warmth of his leather gloves on her chin, and how his Force presence swarmed around her like a flock of bees, surrounding her, and pulling her closer to him in every way.

"Say it..." Kylo pushed her, whispering so low his voice vibrated through her being. "I know what you're thinking, Rey, what you know. Say it… you're mine."

Without another thought of remorse or doubtfulness, Rey locked his eyes. She didn't have a shred of reluctance in her body.

"I'm yours."


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guys! It's raining here, which obviously calls for writing to get through the day. I'm so glad that the last chapter was so highly praised! We are seeing now that Kylo is manipulating her, but also falling in love with her. This is crucial. Naboo is something I'm looking forward to writing as well. Remember – Naboo is romantic, which means romance could quite possibly be in their future ;) As always, review and message me with ideas!_

 _Carrisa – Notice how he is only a gentlemen to her and he just killed a bounty hunter in cold blood? The way his mind works absolutely baffles me, but he is so much fun to write._

 _Bella – Thank you so much! So much research goes into this, I feel like I spend more time researching than writing sometimes! I don't want to be so detailed it becomes tedious to read, so if it gets to that point, let me know and I'll back off a little._

 _Idsrsc – It was definitely meant to be! Their relationship is going to become much more symbiotic, but keep in mind that Rey is young and never experienced any of this before. Kylo has, so he's going to use that to his advantage to overpower her._

Chapter 5:

 **Location: Hoth Space, Outer Rim**

"Do we know where we are going?" Poe asked the group at large for what seemed like the millionth time during their meeting.

Everyone was chattering inessentially, with no clear conversation in sight. The last thing the group had agreed on was sending a distress signal to their supporters in the Mid Rim, but no one had returned their call. They had decided to go in that direction regardless, because The First Order had hardly any presence there. The topic of this debate was where they were going since their fuel stores were running low. The Sullustans cargo ships weren't made to go as far into the galaxy as the Mid Rim, let alone back to The Outer Rim. They were running out of time, and the situation was eerily similar.

The way Poe saw it; they had a few options. The Resistance could try to hold out until one of their distress calls was returned, or they could land on the nearest planet, fuel up, and get on their way. They had built up their army in small numbers, but they were still no match for The First Order, so they had to make sure to land on a planet that wasn't controlled by them.

Finn had suggested Kaal, Lipsec, or Bespin by looking at the navigation computer. General Leia had shut down every single one of those (Kaal because the Correllians traded there and they would more than likely be spies for The First Order, Lipsec because a hyperlane ran through it and they absolutely could not be detected, and Bespin for personal reasons) and told Finn to give her more options of inhabited planets so they could refuel and build up their followers. So far, Finn hadn't come up with anything useful, which led to the constant arguing.

"We could try to make it into the deep core," suggested Snap with a light shrug. "It's risky, but may pay off."

"And what if it doesn't?" Finn asked. "Then we are stuck in the middle of First Order space like sitting ducks… again."

Poe ran the palm of his hand over his five o'clock shadow. "The Deep Core is way too far in. We are much better staying close to where we are."

"Do we even have a mission?" came a voice from somewhere in the crowd. The chatter arose again until General Leia rose her hand and everyone silenced immediately.

"Our mission is to stop the First Order, whatever that takes," she said. Even though she was sitting down across from Finn at the navigation computer, it was like she was on a pedestal. Everyone's eyes turned to face their leader while their lips closed tightly. "But, we can't do that on what we have right now. We have to find somewhere to refuel and scout for followers. Finn, tell me good news."

Finn looked up from the coordinates he was searching. "It's a long shot, ma'am, but Polis Massa is within our range, and we would still have enough fuel to make it to a planet within the sector if things don't go the way we want them too – by Rose's calculations."

Rose grinned at Finn before turning her attention onto the General. "What do you know about Polis Massa?"

"It's a huge rock," Leia replied flatly.

"Mining development has gone on there for centuries," Poe commented. Leia turned to look at him with coy look in her brown eyes. "And if I remember correctly, they were friendly to the Rebellion."

Leia sighed and looked back to Finn. "Is there anywhere else?"

Finn checked the computer and was silent for a few moments. Rose placed a hand on his shoulder before he looked up with his response. "No, not unless you want to go to The Core."

Leia put her hands on her legs and stood up. "Take us to Polis Massa, Mr. Dameron, and make it quickly."

* * *

 **Location: The Absolution**

Kylo marched down the corridor to Hux's office. He had left Rey alone in his quarters with the promise that she would not try to escape, and had the tailor bring her the appropriate clothing. He himself had ordered brown trousers and a loose cream colored top along with a brown traveling cloak and chocolate colored boots. He told the tailor to stick to the Naboo culture with Rey's outfit; he figured that she would feel much more comfortable in something more feminine.

He rounded the corner and didn't bother knocking before opening Hux's door to find him with his boots on the desk and a comb in his hand. He had a mirror on his black desk and was combing his strawberry-blonde hair back into gelled perfection. He didn't even look startled when Kylo came barging in the room, and instead, continued combing his hair for the beginning of his duty shift.

"I'm taking a leave of absence," Kylo told Hux, while he watched Hux seemingly ignore him and comb through his hair.

"Where are you going, Ren?" he finally said after making sure every piece of hair was perfectly in place on his head.

"That's none of your concern," Kylo replied dangerously, causing Hux to take an annoyed look at him instead of gazing at himself in his desktop mirror.

"Am I to watch the girl or are you taking her on your adventure?" Hux asked, spinning around to face Kylo.

The two locked eyes, brown on blue, and Kylo narrowed his in a sign of dominance over The First Order and over Rey. "She's coming with me."

"How romantic," Hux drawled and stood. "Very well then, Ren, I will lead in your absence since you would rather be going on sentimental trips."

Kylo could feel the veins on his forehead begin to pop. All he wanted in that very moment was to relieve Hux of duty, and shoot him out of an airlock into space never to be seen or heard again. The thought was tempting – General Murray would be an adequate replacement. But, Kylo decided to play his game to keep him following orders.

"Much like your rendezvous with a certain Lieutenant Siders on Serenno," Kylo said as Hux passed him. He watched as the General froze and he could just imagine the look of terror on Hux's face at that very moment.

"I don't remember even telling you that," Hux said through gritted teeth. "I obviously had too much to drink and –"

"If you want to keep that a secret, I suggest you keep my outing a secret as well," Kylo said dangerously. "Rey is not an officer in The First Order so technically, I'm not committing a violation."

Kylo brushed his way past Hux to the door, knowing that he had won that battle and that Hux wouldn't dare try anything ignorant while he was away. Hux knew the full power of a belligerent Kylo Ren, and bringing his lover into the situation was definitely not something that he wanted to do.

"I hate you!" Hux called over his shoulder childishly as Kylo rounded the corner.

"Feeling's mutual," he muttered.

* * *

By the time that Kylo had returned to his quarters, his anger towards Hux had subsided and he was focused solely on taking Rey to Naboo. He waved his fingers to open the doors, and when he did, his eyes widened at the sight that was awaiting him. For the second time in twenty-four hours, Rey had utterly surprised him. Once in her dark robes, and now…

Rey was wearing a subtle navy blue dress with black sparkles that shone through the fabric. The dress hugged her tiny frame perfectly, and had a lace trail that ran from the tip of her ankles down the back onto the floor, but only slightly. A black belt with jewels on it was carefully placed around her waist, some of the rings hanging down to beneath her hips. The dress was long sleeved, wrapping around her arms ever-so-slightly to create a cinched pattern at the elbows. It seemed as though the tailor had gone to great lengths to make her blend-in with the Naboo culture. He had curled her hair, and the two parts were twisted out of her face, but fell softly down her shoulders. Kylo's mouth was dry as she turned around to face him. He was used to seeing her in scavenger robes, not stunning outfits fit for a Queen.

"The Naboo people certainly like their jewels," Rey gestured towards her belt and the tiny beads dangling at the bottom of her sleeves, falling lightly onto her fingers.

Kylo gave her a half-smile and picked up his robes from the countertop. "It suits you."

"You say that about all the things I wear around you," Rey retorted and watched Kylo go into the bathroom without another word.

What was she doing? She was literally playing dress up with the enemy while her friends could be anywhere in the galaxy being hunted by him. But, this was her mission. She needed to fool him as long as possible to ensure that the Resistance had enough time to get away from them or build up enough of an army to face them on their own again. She dreaded to think about what Leia, Finn, Poe, and Chewie were going through right now while she was here in comfort. What if they had already been destroyed? No, she would've felt it…

Were her emotions clear on the matter, though? She shrunk herself down onto one of the bar stools at the counter, and rested her chin in her hand. Kylo was going to great lengths to keep her comfortable and happy. What was his end game in all of this? What was her end game? What would she do once the Resistance was safe? What would she do when they made a stand? Who would she fight for… more importantly, who would she fight against?

Rey's hazel eyes floated down to the countertop, and studied the pattern of the marble and how it swirled. She followed those patterns until Kylo came out of the bathroom because it was the only way to quiet her mind from her heart-wrenching anxiety. She turned her gaze from the marble to the man standing outside the bathroom door. Her breath caught and butterflies began racing into her stomach in a feeling that she had never had before.

He was so handsome, but not in his dark way. He looked normal, not fearsome or that he would slaughter you if you said something wrong or irritating to him. He didn't look scary or wicked, just plain… normal. Rey was impressed at his choice of clothing, and noticed that he had left his shirt unbuttoned just a tad so his chest was showing only a bit. _What a tease_ , she thought to herself as she slid off of the barstool.

"I can hear you," Kylo grinned as he walked up to her. He put his hands on her shoulders, and there was a softer look that emitted from his brown eyes as he looked upon her. Rey's breath caught when she realized that her thoughts were not her own. How could she have forgotten? Kylo brought his fingers up to her cheeks, ran them over her soft skin, and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "You look beautiful, Rey."

"You look rather dashing yourself when you aren't clad in all black," Rey said and shrugged his hands off of her body. "We need to go, don't we? I don't want to keep you waiting."

"Very well, come with me," Kylo turned on his heel and opened the door with his fingers.

Rey watched him in jealousy. She wondered if maybe she could try doing that. Kylo overheard her thoughts and let the door remain open just to test her… see if she would actually try. Rey focused all of her energy on the door, and put her pointer and index fingers together. She envisioned the door closing, and aggressively pulled her two fingers to the right. The door slammed instead of shut quietly, earning her a look from several onlookers and causing Kylo to turn around to see what the commotion was. Embarrassed, she quickly strode towards Kylo and fell into step. The two exchanged a glance, and Rey took a deep breath to steady her emotions. She could feel Kylo was amused.

 _You scared them_ , he said through their bond.

 _I didn't mean too. I only wanted to see if I could do it_ , she snapped back.

 _I know, and you now you know you can._

Kylo smiled down at her and led her towards his shuttle. There was a lot that she had to learn yet, but she was indeed powerful… almost as powerful as he was.

 **Location: Theed, Naboo**

Rey couldn't stop staring. There were waterfalls everywhere she looked, with their spectacular waves of watercrashing down into long streams and idle lakes. Next to the waterfalls, there was so much green. Trees, bushes, flowers, grass… Kylo could sense her amazement as he piloted the shuttle into the nearest hanger. She had only ever seen this much green on Takodona, and she was even more in amazement then. But, there was a different feel to this planet: majestic, heavenly, somewhere Rey would gladly spend the rest of her days if she could.

When the two stepped out of the shuttle bay and onto the passageway into the capital city of Theed, Kylo could feel Rey's mind gaping at all of the colors. There was an array of colors everywhere she turned, from the clothing the townsfolk were wearing to the flowers that lined the walkways. She gazed in astonishment at the intricate gowns and headpieces and the gothic style architecture put into the buildings. Everyone in the city seemed at peace, as though no strain of the terror of the First Order had ever struck here. It seemed as though no fear lived in this haven at all.

Kylo carried their luggage in two bags while Rey marveled at the sights and sounds. There were birds chirping, butterflies flying about them, and the sky hadn't a cloud in it. She had never been to such a paradise, only dreamed of that island… and that was nothing compared to her surroundings. Kylo had to stop and stare at how she ran her fingers along the flowers, tried to touch the butterflies (she got lucky and a beautiful blue one with black along its wings landed on her finger), and pointed to the towering buildings. She interacted with the residents when they greeted her, happily shaking their hands and asking them many questions about the city. He had never seen Rey so happy – so at peace.

That's why he had brought her here. Not only was this planet special to him, he needed her calm if he was going to sway her completely over to his side. The two walked along the brick paths until Kylo was able to flag down a transport to take them to their destination. Through all of the commotion, Rey had forgotten to ask Kylo where exactly they were going, but at the moment, she hadn't a care in the world. Kylo handed their bags to the caddy, pulled his traveling cloak over his head, and took a seat next to Rey.

"Where are we headed?" Rey asked, staring out the window at the ever-moving people, the children playing ball in the streets, and a strange species with long ears behind their heads trade plants and meals with the locals. "What are those things?"

Kylo leaned over so his face was only centimeters from hers in order to get a good look. He could practically feel the warmth of her cheeks. "Those are Gungans. They live in the underwater swamps beneath the cities."

"The cities are built on top of swamps? How is that possible?" Rey turned back to face Kylo, realizing that they were once again centimeters apart.

Rey's eyes grew clouded for a moment, and Kylo tilted his head ever-so-slightly, marveling at her curiosity and how absolutely stunning she looked in that moment… but, he stopped himself before he did something he would later regret.

"That's the marvels of architecture," he replied softly, still observing the pink plumpness of her lips as he pulled away.

"You still haven't told me where we are going," Rey said and continued to stare out the window.

"We are going out into the country," Kylo replied and slipped the caddy ten credits as he walked by them. He glanced over to Rey who was still gazing out the window as the shuttle took off.

"Why can't we stay in the city?" Rey asked absently.

"I was never really one for cities," Kylo replied, thinking back to the village where FN-2187 had revealed he couldn't do the simplest thing that he was taught since birth: follow orders. However, if he had followed Kylo's orders, it wouldn't have led him to escaping with that damn pilot and leading him to Rey.

"But we can come back here?" Rey asked, a hint of pout in her voice as it wavered.

Kylo sighed and turned to face her, as he was jerked out of his thoughts. "Yes, we can if you want. But, I have something to show you first."

 **Location: Polis Massa**

When Leia had said that Polis Massa was a giant rock, Poe had thought she was being figurative. But, when he saw that the planet was literally a giant asteroid, he clenched his teeth. He knew there had been mining here, but did they really have to land on an unstable boulder? It was their only chance, however, and Poe understood that. That's why he led the campaign with Finn and Chewie, as Leia had extended her power to him for the time being.

The three entered the giant glass orbs surrounding the facility. Looking out into open space gave Poe an uneasy feeling; like they could be blasted off of the asteroid at any moment.

"Are you sure about this? I was sure about this at first but now, not so much," Finn rambled as he looked around. Chewie let out a low growl in agreement.

Poe raised a hand to calm them both down. "Yes, relax. All I have to do is find the Administrator and explain what is going on, buddy."

"Did we ever think of what our plan was if they don't agree to help us?" Finn asked quickly, looking around him as though he was becoming quite claustrophobic. Chewie growled a warning and quickly stepped in front of him, taking the crossbow off of his back.

"Nope, we are going to improvise, right Chewie?" Poe asked as Chewie took his side next to Poe. Chewie let out a few snarls and a growl to which Poe shrugged. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, could I use that crossbow?" Another growl. "Of course I brought a blaster, I'm just saying that a crossbow would be much more efficient."

Poe held up his hand to stop Chewie as the first humans came into sight. It was now or never, and Poe decided on the now. From where the trio stood, they didn't look like First Order troopers, as they were clad in what appeared to be space suits, and the people behind them in brown trousers, white robes that went down to their knees, and brown hoods covering most of their faces.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Poe muttered as he began his approach. "Excuse me!"

He jogged over to the clan once they had noticed him and his counterparts, extending a hand to the nearest gentlemen he saw. The man took his hand, and clasped another one over it in greeting.

"My name is Poe Dameron, and these are my friends, Finn and Chewbacca," Poe introduced the trio. Finn raised a hand in greeting. "Is there somewhere private we could speak? This is an urgent matter."

The head of the group lowered his crystal blue eyes onto Poe in an understanding manner. "Yes, of course. Please follow me."

Poe looked back to Finn with a smile on his face, as if to say that so far this was going well. They followed the clan of native inhabitants to a small conference center in the middle of the facility. On the way there, Poe couldn't help but notice the intricate details they had put into the mining. There were machines doing everything for them, and a great number of people out in space suits, examining the rocks and debris. It fascinated him to see the mining – it was always something that he had grown up with, and it vaguely reminded him of home.

As soon as the inhabitants took their seats and closed the door, Poe sat across from the man he had previously spoken with, Finn at one side of him, and Chewie standing behind him with his crossbow at the ready in case anyone tried anything foolish.

"My name is Aren, and I am the Administrator of this facility," the man introduced himself.

"I'm glad we found you right away," Poe breathed a sigh of relief.

"What can we help you with, young Poe?" he asked.

Poe took a deep breath and scratched the back of his head, as he always did when he got nervous. The fate of the Resistance was lying on his shoulders, and he absolutely cold not in any way have this conversation go southward. So, he interlaced his fingers together on the table and looked Aren in his crystal blue eyes to prove that Poe was desperate.

"Aren, sir, we come to you to seek your assistance," Poe said. "But first, I need to know something… Are you friendly to The First Order?"

Poe could feel his heart pounding a hole in his chest to the point where it was about to rip out of his ribcage.

Aren leaned back in his chair, almost touching the window behind him, and interlaced his fingers in front of his face. "No, The First Order has no sympathizers here."

Poe let out a breath of relief. "We are some of the last of the remaining Resistance members. The rest of us, and quite a few Sullustans escaped Sullust from The First Order but we are running low on fuel, supplies, and people to join our cause."

"You didn't come here to recruit for The Resistance, did you?" Aren asked as the rest of his group began to murmur.

Poe felt his blood turn to slush. He was losing their support. "No, sir. We need help to get back on our feet. Anything you can give us, we will take and be on our way."

"So, Mr. Dameron… is it your plan to go from star system to star system asking for help until you gather enough followers to take on The First Order?" Aren demanded. He set his hands in his lap and waited for Poe's response.

Poe understood now what Aren was doing. "Yes, sir. We cannot defeat The First Order without support. I know there are people who support our cause, it's just finding them because everyone is afraid. We need people to stand and fight, not back down and let The First Order win."

Aren exchanged a look with the man on his left and woman on his right, who both nodded. "Very well. We will refuel you, and we will put the word out that if anyone wants to join you in your cause to report to the hanger which you are docked."

"Thank you," Poe stood up in relief and took Aren's hand, shaking it considerably longer than he should have. Aren stood, towering over Poe and immediately, Poe dropped his hand.

"Son, a word of advice," he said and leaned down so only he and Poe could hear him speak. "You did a good job with asking for help this time, but next time, don't be so desperate."

Poe nodded and clapped Aren's shoulder before turning back to Finn and Chewie. "Alright, let's go tell the General that we are a-go."

Poe felt accomplishment in the pit of his chest as he, Chewie, and Finn went back into the maze of windows and outlooks. Never in his life had he felt so achieved and superior (unless he counted the moment that he took down the Dreadnaught, but that feeling was quickly diminished). Maybe he could indeed lead the Resistance. He believed in himself, and so did General Leia. More than power, however, there was an ignition of hope in his heart. The Resistance had a fighting chance now, and the more systems that they could find that supported them, the faster they would build their forces and take down The First Order.

There was hope, and with hope, came happiness.


	6. Chapter 6

_Good morning! I am so thankful for all of you, and also my three year old screaming about an airplane in my ear at 7:37am… I had a lot of fun writing the last chapter (I kind of rushed it), and I definitely look forward to writing more of Kylo and Rey on Naboo. As the story progresses, we will see more of the light in him, and him fulfill his promises to Rey, who will feel flabbergasted. But, Kylo has other plans while he is on Naboo too. As always, reviews are wonderful, and if you have any ideas on where the story should be headed, feel free to message me._

 _Guest – I wanted to go into more detail about Theed, but I felt like it was a lot of unnecessary plot points. Lake Country, however, will be described in more detail, and when we go back to Theed too._

 _Idsrsc – I haven't decided if they will find out in this chapter or not. I know from their standpoint, the longer Rey stalls Kylo, the happier they will be. But, there will be some surprises in this chapter!_

Chapter 6:

 **Location: Lake Country, Naboo**

The vast lake shimmered in the sunlight as Kylo and Rey were dropped off at the ferry's dock. They had come to one of the castles situated on the edge of one of the many islands on the great lake. This particular castle was part of the land that Kylo's maternal grandparents (the Naberrie's) owned, and where his grandmother was buried. Rey admired its beauty as the ferryman helped her onto the dock. She thanked him, and took in the enormity of the castle, its design, and the clear blue water lapping at the edges of the island. The climate was considerably warmer than in Theed, and also had just a slight breeze that rustled through her curls.

The concierge took their bags and welcomed them to the Lake Country, told them that they had a variety of hosts and hostesses ready to entertain them, and that they were most grateful for their stay. Rey had never seen Kylo as warm as he was as Ben. He shook the man's hand and thanked him for his kindness to which Rey could do everything in her power to not have her jaw drop subterranean. Kylo led Rey up the stone carved stairs, while she marveled at the pink, white, and red roses lining the steps in their intricately carved flower holders. Everywhere she looked was something beautiful, majestic, and serene. She didn't know that this much serenity existed in the entire galaxy.

They came to a small platform before Kylo led her into the castle. He opened the large wooden doors into a room full of sunlight with pillars framing another balcony. Rey stopped in wonder at that moment. She had never admired a man in such a way as Kylo in that instant. He stood in between her and the balcony, arms a tad out from his legs with his white shirt flowing in the breeze, and his black hair blowing in the direction of the wind. The sunlight shone all around him, through him it seemed, and wrapped itself around the vine coated pillars. Kylo looked like he belonged here – maybe as a glass crafter, fisherman, or sailor. It seemed as though he only ever existed in this castle, on this planet, with Rey. It was hard to believe that the man standing in front of her, who was so at peace and beautiful, had caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and was currently ruling the galaxy as Supreme Leader of The First Order.

Rey willed herself to move from where she was currently rooted, to join herself at Kylo's side. She gazed out into the crystal blue lake, spying the islands they had passed on their way to the castle. They looked so little now. She gazed on the fisherman who raised their catches in the air in triumph, to the little girls playing and running in the sand on the peninsula to her right, and to the dolphins leaping out of the water. Her heart was full of happiness and wonder.

"This place is magnificent," she whispered.

Kylo looked down to the woman standing beside him. She looked radiant, with the light making it seem as though her dress was glowing black and navy blue. In another life, he would have done anything to remain on Naboo with her – they could live in this castle, start a peaceful life in The Lake Country, and retire from The First Order and The Resistance forever… There was nothing more he wanted in that moment. Everything felt like it should… right, just. He hated it; his conflicting emotions. The other side of him was fighting that dream, screaming at him to open his eyes; running away with Rey here would never happen. He had an empire to lead and a galaxy to conquer. But, none of that mattered right now. What mattered was the girl beside him, and how content she was with him.

"Did you visit here often as a child?" Rey asked him, going over to where the carved some balcony walls connected with the stone barrier between the castle and the lake. She leaned her arms against the cool stone, still gazing out into the water.

"A few times," Kylo replied, joining her. "My mother was very imperative that we learn all we could about our family. I think she was trying to wipe the memory of Darth Vader, and coming here where my grandmother grew up would help her justify that Vader was once a person."

"I know you wanted to be just like him," Rey said, knowing that her words were laced with danger. But, she was willing to take that chance. "Remember, Ben… Vader was once a good person, otherwise your grandmother wouldn't have fallen in love with him. Just like you – I know there is good in you."

Rey could sense Kylo's annoyance beginning to flare up. She knew that he didn't bring her to this amazing place just so she could try to convince him to turn to the light. But, she had to try. He was continuously amazing her since he had taken her from Sullust, and she could sense that there was something there trying to shine through. Maybe it was because of her, or maybe he was just coming to it on his own. Either way, she was going to poke and prod at him until she received a reaction.

"I didn't bring you here to have a repeat of the last time you tried to turn me," Kylo said and glanced down at her warningly.

"Then why did you bring me here?" Rey demanded. Her vigilance outweighed her calmness and she was beginning her defensive cycle once more as her pitch became desperate.

Kylo sighed. "This planet is very important to me. It is the place my grandmother was born, raised, and ruled. I hoped bringing you here would help you… understand me more."

Rey's lips clamped shut as she thought of her reply. "I understand why you brought me here, but I don't understand you."

"All I hope that is by the time that we leave here, you will," Kylo replied with a deep sincerity in his voice.

He gently put his arm around her shoulders, feeling the satin fabric of her dress brush up against his skin. Rey didn't push him off of her like she had last time. Instead, he felt her shoulders relax from their tensed state, and her demeanor calmed. While Rey was defensive, she was also able to see reason. The two stared out onto the sunny lake in silence. He hoped that she realized that she could have all of this and more, if she stayed with him. But more than anything, he hoped that he could find who he was once more, as long as she was there to guide him.

* * *

 **Location: Thakwaa, Outer Rim**

It hadn't taken much of a vote for the Resistance to agree that they were going to go planet to planet in order to recruit and increase their numbers. Leia had advised them in the methods that the Rebellion has used, and told them beyond anything, their base could absolutely not be a ship. They needed to find a planet that was willing to host them, and give them the resources they needed. Meanwhile, it was Finn and Poe's mission to recruit followers.

Rose had suggested that they land on Thakwaa. Leia had agreed immediately – during the time of the Galactic Empire, the planet had repeatedly attempted to be seized by the Imperials. To no avail by the locals, however, who had defeated them time and again. Eventually, after multiple conquests, numerous casualties, and many Imperial credits wasted, the Emperor abandoned the idea of Thakwaa joining his Empire. Thakwaash weren't keen on outsiders trying to conquer them, which made them a strong ally to The Rebellion, and hopefully to The Resistance.

Poe had offered to lead the landing party, with Leia extending her rule to him once more. She had stayed with Nein Nunb and the rest of the Sullustans while Poe had a brigade standing by. He had been warned about the natives' hostile and unpredictable behavior, and wanted to make sure that he was protected if the mission went south. Chewie insisted that he go with Poe, just in case the situation became reckless. Leia also insisted – it was better if Poe had someone to back him up.

When Chewie and Poe reached the main city (after crossing miles of grassy plains that took them most of the morning), they were marveled at how the bustling city seemed to be hanging up in trees. There were settlements on the ground, but there were many levels built into the canopies of the trees long stretching branches. The Thakwaash were animal-like creatures that reminded Poe of Chewie, but smaller. They were built toughly, however, and it showed from their choice of clothing – not a lot of them were covered. Poe looked up to Chewie as they moved through the bustling crowd.

"What do you think, big guy?" he asked quietly. Chewie's black eyes scanned the crowd and he uttered a little grunt. Poe nodded. "Yeah, I'm thinking that too."

These creatures seemed to display a different range of personalities. One would take over when the Thakwaash was finished with a task, and then they would rotate. Poe had never seen such an unusual phenomenon, and it made him uneasy. Would they even remember committing to The Resistance?

The two came to what seemed to be the embassy (from what Poe could tell from the scribbled lettering along the front); a long building made from branches that stretched all the way up into the green canopies. There were multiple Thakwaash going to and from the building, all speaking about the different systems that had been attacked by The First Order, General Hux, Star Destroyers, and how they would strike back with a force they never imagined. Poe turned to Chewie whilst overhearing the conversations, and Chewie growled a little in agreement. This was their opportunity.

But, their opportunity was stalled after the two entered the building and were immediately seized by two guards dressed in blue coverings armed with electrified staffs.

"Hey, hey, let me go! This is not what you think it is!" Poe growled. The creatures were much stronger than what he had originally thought – it felt like his arm was being ripped out of its socket. Chewie growled dangerously as one of the guards confiscated his crossbow.

"You don't have a permit," replied the guard while patting Poe down. Poe grimaced as the beast's hands went over regions that they shouldn't have. "And you are carrying a weapon."

"Half the people here are carrying weapons," came Poe's agitated response as he shook his shoulders to release the guard's grip.

"You do not have a weapon permit or a permit to be in the city," the guard said, squaring up with Poe. His bead-like eyes narrowed as he looked down upon the pilot.

Poe looked to Chewie nervously and took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. "I would like to speak to your superior officer."

The Thakwaash laughed a full deep booming laugh that chilled Poe to his bones. "You ask the impossible, outsider."

Poe raised an eyebrow. "We are outsiders, yes, but we need to speak to your leader privately."

The other guards joined in to the booming laughter, and Chewie and Poe exchanged a worried glance. Their plan wasn't going as expected. They could not, under any circumstances, reveal that they were with The Resistance, just in case there were First Order sympathizers nearby. When Poe agreed to take Leia's superiority and recruit, he didn't realize how difficult it would be. Or all the awful situations they were going to get into. The question now was: how were they going to get out of this one?

* * *

 **Location: Lake Country, Naboo**

Kylo sat on an intricately carved stone stool, his legs bent at the knees and his elbows resting on them. His fingers were clasped between his legs, right in front of his chest, were they were intertwined within each other. The soft Naboo breeze had windswept his hair over his brown eyes, with little wisps flitting and tangling with his eyelashes. White curtains blew softly behind him, almost hiding the view of the white satin sheets with the Naboo royal emblem embroidered in gold around the trim that covered his bed. He was perfectly still, his brown orbs focusing only on one thing: the girl on the end of the balcony that led out of his room.

After the two had had dinner, Rey had changed out of her traveling clothes into another stunning ensemble. The attendants had dressed her in a strapless purple dress with different shades of lilac flowing like water towards the hem. She had three bands of pearls on her arms a few inches from the crease of her elbows. The brown curls in her hair had been brushed out into waves, with clips of pears throughout the strands that reflected the orange and reds in the sunset. Rey stood regally at the edge of the balcony, her arms in front of her. If she knew that Kylo was there, she didn't show it in her physical appearance or through her emotions; he would have sensed it.

The time had long since been lost track of. Kylo had studied every inch of her from the way that the baby hairs near her neck blew when the breeze quickened to the way she shifted her weight from one side to the other when the strain became too much on either side. He had spent hours imagining her when he was hunting her down. It almost didn't seem real that she was in front of him now, calm and assured.

The sun created an army of reds, yellows, and oranges as it blazed across the sky in a fiery retreat. Rey had been on the balcony for quite some time, studying the newly found phenomenon. He had found her out here after one of the hostesses had pointed him in her general direction. He didn't want to disturb her, so after a few minutes of leaning against the dark wooden doorframe of the double doors leading into his room, he took a seat on the stool. Kylo was at ease with the silence; hearing the birds chirping softly and the water lapping at the beach beneath them was enough to put his heavy-weighted mind at ease for the first time in such a long time.

The two stayed in that positioning for quite some time until the colors began to dwindle, and the blackness began to rise out of the east. With the overwhelming darkness came the twinkling stars. When there was only enough light to see one another at a close proximity, Rey turned only to the side and looked upon the man sitting by the balcony doors. She sighed softly, and sent him a small smile as he rose from his sitting place. Kylo walked over to Rey, standing beside her as the two looked up into the open sky. They spotted a fast moving orb circling the planet, and Kylo pointed to it, tracing the small bright light with his finger.

"Look," he whispered. "There's a ship."

Rey followed his finger. "It's a strange feeling, being this small."

Kylo chuckled. "It takes some time getting used to."

Rey took in a sharp breath and turned to face the man to her right. "I feel at home here. I can't explain it…"

Kylo's eyes softened as they drifted to her fading figure in as the darkness crept over her. All he could make out of her now was from the fire burning in the lanterns on either side of the balcony, and the soft yellow light emitting from his bedroom. "You don't have to explain."

Rey's eyes narrowed quizzically. "Ben… Why are you being like this to me? You bring me to this beautiful planet… You aren't trying to kill me – or anyone else for that matter –"

"I'm honoring your wish with that," he answered. "Besides, I haven't had a reason to kill anyone. I needed this as much as you did. My mind needed the retreat."

Rey only gave him a tiny nod before looking back up into the night sky. Her hazel eyes located the bright white light that Kylo made out to be a ship and followed it until it disappeared behind the mountains. Never in her life had she ever once thought she would have visited this paradise, let alone with Kylo Ren. But, now that she was here, she never wanted to leave this heaven.

However, she was growing tired, and it was time to retire to her bedroom. Rey tried to justify not leaving Kylo's side with every viable option she could muster, but her throat was beginning to burn from holding back her insistent yawning, and her eyes were growing heavier by the moment. She turned to face Kylo, and he matched her almost instantly. As tired as she was, she couldn't quite find the right words to say as she brought her heavy eyes up to meet his. Kylo seemed to be in the same situation, because his lips parted only slightly but no words escaped his breath.

The two stared at one another for quite some time before Rey felt his fingers brush the side of her cheek. It was a new feeling: feeling his touch without the leather of his gloves covering the padding of his fingers. He flattened his hand to cup her cheek. He was warm, inviting, and so subtly enticing. His scent over must and evergreens had overtaken her like the strongest drug created. Rey felt her eyes closing, and his breath tingling the skin on her lips and chin. He was so close…

A silent scream and cry for help rang out in her head. As much as she tried to ignore it, it pressed her farther and farther until she forced her eyes to open slowly. Everything about him in that moment begged her to submit – his touch, his soft breath against her skin, the way that his eyes ate her so hungrily… But, now was not that time…

"I'm sorry," Rey said, taking his hand gently off her cheek. Even at the littlest of gestures, their touch was igniting and made the pit of her stomach churn. "I should go to sleep."

Kylo's eyes saddened, and Rey pulled herself away from him before she took pity on his dejected state and ran back into his arms. His whisper brought her back to reality. "I understand. Sleep well, Rey."

Rey took a few steps away from him, her heart entirely deep in confusion. She wanted to run back to him, allow him to take her in whatever way he wanted – needed – her. She turned towards him over her shoulder dangerously, meeting his sad eyes once more, before she turned herself back around and disappearing behind the soft glow of the curtains.

Kylo sighed after she was out of his sight and turned back out towards the lake. He rested his hands on the cool stone balcony and leaned upwards on his arms, putting his weight on his hands. He took a deep breath, staring down into the water below him, allowing it to calm his racing mind and tender heart. Her rejection should have fueled his fire, his hatred, his passion… Instead, it only made him hunger for her touch even more.

This place was changing him.


End file.
